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COPYRIGHT DEPOSm 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 



fiDa&e fiae? Settee 



ENTERTAINING 
MADE EASY 



BY 

EMILY ROSE BXJRT 




NEW YORK 
EDWARD J. CLODE 




COPYRIGHT, 1919, BY 
EDWARD J. CLODE 



Entered at Stationers* Hall 



PRINTED IN THE XJNITED STATES OF AMERICA 



AUG i I i'jid 



))C' A529518 



ACKNOWLEDGMENT is made to Woman's 
Home Companion; The Ladies'* Home 
Journal, Farm and Fireside, and the Designer 
for their courteous permission to reprint certain 
material in this book. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 

SOCIALS AND PARTIES 

y A Smiles Social i6 

^ An Aviation Meet 21 

A Mock Canteen 29 

A Progressive March Party ..... 33 

An Autumn Leaf Dance 36 

A Harvest Home Party 37 

A Nutty Party for October 44 

A May Pole Party for Children ... 48 

OUTDOOR AFFAIRS 

A Bacon Bat 54 

A Children's Daisy Party 56 

A Hawaiian Porch Luncheon 59 

A Watermelon Frolic 61 

A Japanese Garden Party (£ 

A Commencement Picnic 68 

A Progressive Motor Party 72 

BIRTHDAYS AND OTHER ANNIVERSARIES 

A Bachelor Supper 80 

Mother's Birthday Tea 82 

[v] 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 



A Pussy Cat Party . 84 

A Girl's Birthday Luncheon 90 

The Wooden Wedding . 92 

The Tin Wedding 94 

A Mock Wedding 96 

A Silver Wedding Shower ...... 99 

A Cape Cod Luncheon 102 

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SHOWERS 

"A Little Bird Told Me'* Luncheon . 109 

A Happiness Tea iii 

A Hello Party 114 

An Apple Shower 117 

An Old Rose Shower 121 

A Kitty Shower 122 

A Camp Fire Shower 125 

A "One I Love" Shower 127 

An Indian Summer Shower -. 132 

A Christmas Tree Shower 134 

WEDDINGS 

Summer Wedding Decorations 140 

The Table Decorations 143 

Menus for the Buffet Luncheon ... 145 

The Favors 148 

Two Summer Weddings 150 

A Wild Rose Wedding 150 

A Field Flower Wedding 152 

[VI] 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 



Outdoor Weddings 154 

An Orchard Pageant 154 

A Wedding on the Lawn 157 

Fall Weddings 159 

A Blue and Gold Fall Wedding . . . 159. 

Oak Leaves and Cosmos 160 

Three Winter Weddings 162 

A Christmas Wedding 162 

A Rainbow Wedding 163 

A Colonial Wedding 164 



[VII] 



Sntertaining <^Made Easy 



INTRODUCTION 

IT is fun to entertain — if you don't make 
hard work of it. 

And why make hard work of it when there 
are ways to entertain easily? 

Besides you know that the more easily 
you do it, the more successful you'll be, 
and there's hardly a woman in the world — 
is there ? — who wouldn't like to be known 
as a good hostess. 

"But," says one of you^ "I haven't the 
knack." 

And another says, '*I haven't the time or 
money." 

And yet another, "Oh, I never have any 
ideas." 

Nonsense ! 

[9] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

It's not a question of knack or money or 
Ideas. All you need is to know the secret, and 
it's an open secret at that ! 

First, ask yourself what you mean by a 
successful hostess. Your answer will be, 
^'One whose guests have so good a time that 
they want to come again." 

Sure enough! The secret is out then^ — 
entertaining successfully is giving the guests 
a good time. 

"More easily said than done," you say. 
"What must I do to give the guests a good 
time?" 

And the answer to that Is In a nutshell. 
"Make your entertainment fit the folks to be 
entertained." 

You wouldn't, for instance, think of in- 
viting your grandmother's friends in of an 
afternoon in honor of the old lady's birthday 
and playing stagecoach or blindman's buff. 

And if you have your Sunday School class 

of lively boys In for the evening, you won't 

expect them to play paper and pencil games 

from eight to ten. 
[lo] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

It's really just a matter of common sense 
coupled with some imagination and fore- 
thought to choose the right kind of enter- 
tainment. 

Along with choosing the right variety of 
amusement, remember that folks generally like 
the simple things best and if there's a touch 
of originality in addition, you've won their 
hearts. For you see you've made them feel 
that you took the trouble to plan something 
*' different" in their honor. 

Because it's different, it isn't necessarily 
hard to prepare — there are lots of novelties 
in decoration, amusement and ''eats" that 
are perfectly simple and inexpensive. They 
are what help to make entertaining easy, in 
fact. And just at this point you see comes 
in the reason for the writing of this little book. 

It aims to make entertaining easy by sug- 
gesting plans that are simple and a little 
out-of-the-ordinary to fit the most frequent 
occasions when you wish to entertain or 
perhaps must do so. Special care has been 
taken to consider time and expense, but at 

[II] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

the same time to bring in a touch of the 
unusual. 

Don't miss the fun of entertaining because 
you've always thought it hard work! This 
book has been prepared to show you how 
easily, after all, it can be done. And may 
you have the reward of joy and satisfaction 
that comes with successful hospitality! 



[12] 



SOCIALS AND PARTIES 



SOCIALS AND PARTIES 

T)ERHAPS you're appointed chairman of 
-*- the social committee of your young 
people's church society of or some club. 
Or maybe you want to entertain for a friend 
who is visiting you so that she may meet 
your circle of friends. Anyway it's up to 
you to plan an evening's amusement for a 
big crowd of people. If it's a mixed crowd — 
young and old and in-between (as church 
socials often are) — you need one kind of 
plan; if it's a bunch of young folks, or a 
school class party, or something for the chil- 
dren, you need other plans. 

But the secret of all good times for big 
crowds is to choose entertainment that draws 
the individuals together in some kind of 
comradeship, gives them all something in 
common, and puts them on a friendly footing. 

C15] 



A SMILES SOCIAL 

/^N the door of the parish house as well as 
^^ in the post-office window appeared a 
poster adorned with a big smiling face — 
the kind made by drawing a circle and putting 
inside of it two eye dots, a nose line, and a 
cheerful curve for a mouth. 

Beneath it the invitation urged everybody 
to come to a Smiles Social, wearing a smile 
and bringing an extra one in the pocket. 
Admission, one smile. 

The parish house parlors were decorated 
with all the laughing or smiling pictures that 
could be found by the committee in charge. 
*'Mona Lisa'' was there with her inscrutable 
smile, "The Laughing Cavalier," as well as 
less famous characters, such as smiling girls 
on calendars and magazine covers. An amus- 
ing display of newspaper cartoons also filled 
one portion of the wall space. Smilax was 

appropriately enough used for trimming. 
[16] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

At the door was stationed a smiling ad- 
mission collector, who insisted on an entering 
smile from everyone. The extra one was 
not demanded at this point. " 

With such a beginning and the gallery of 
smiles about the room to break the ice, the 
social was assured of the success that followed. 

The first stunt tried was called *' Throwing 
Smiles/' not a new amusement but always 
a fun-maker. 

One person starts the game by smiling 
broadly and then pretending to wipe off the 
smile and throw it to somebody else. As 
soon as it lands on the next person's face, 
that person must in turn wipe it off and fling 
it at a third player. As soon as a smile is 
supposedly wiped off, the owner of it must 
maintain a perfectly sober expression. 

The company was in screams of laughter 
before this game had gone very far. 

Another amusing game for a large number 
which goes under various names was called 
on this occasion "The Smile Factory." The 
company is divided into two groups which 

[17] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

line up opposite each other. Someone is 
appointed to stand between the two lines with 
a man's soft hat in hand. If upon being 
tossed in the air, the hat lands right side up, 
one group has to laugh while the opposite 
one remains absolutely sober. When the 
hat lands upside down, the first group remains 
solemn and the other group laughs. A mem- 
ber of either side who fails to follow this rule 
goes over to the opposite side. The side 
which wins all the members of the other side 
is announced victorious. 

The old-fashioned game of "Poor Pussy'' 
was also played because the point of it is 
trying not to smile. The younger folk will 
enjoy it. You may remember that a ring is 
formed and the person within the ring who 
is "it," kneels before someone in the circle 
and mews or purrs appealingly three times 
successively. Each time the person con- 
fronted must answer sternly or calmly "Poor 
Pussy," never smiling. In case of a smile 
or a laugh, this person takes the place of " Poor 

Pussy." 
[18] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

■ Midway of the evening the extra smiles 
brought to the social were asked for. Jokes 
and funny rhymes or sayings were read in 
turn. If various persons dislike the publicity 
of such a procedure, all the ''smiles^' may 
be collected and presented by two or three 
clever persons in the form of a minstrel 
show. This can be called "Smiles in Black 
and White." :. 

The popular song "^Smiles" was in order 
as well as the older favorite, '' Pack up Your 
Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, 
Smile, Smile." 

The following conundrum was also pro- 
pounded: What is the longest word in the 
English language? The answer is **^ Smiles" 
because there's a mile between the first and 
last syllables. 

Humorous recitations and others relating 
to smiles were given by some good readers. 

Just before the refreshments came a smile- 
measuring contest. All stood in line and 
grinned broadly while a girl with a tape 
measure took account of each one in turn. 

C19] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

The winner received as a prize a grinning 
little china darky. 

The refreshments were enough to make 
everyone smile — they consisted of pink lem- 
onade and ginger cookies with features marked 
on them in white icing. The most conspicu- 
ous feature was of course the grin. 



[20] 



AN AVIATION MEET 

nPRY this plan for recruiting attendance 
"■^ at your next church social. It would 
also *'fill the bill" for a jolly midwinter school 
party. The invitations are made to look like 
tickets of admission; the men's of red paste- 
board and the girls' of blue. They read this 
way: 

Admit Two 
To an Aviation Meet 

In the Church parlors 

Friday evening 
February 21 8 o'clock 

Each member who receives a ticket must 
make a point of inviting somebody else, and 
should conduct the guest personally to the 
social. 

The hall or assembly rooms may be deco- 
rated with American and Allied colors, and 
it would be appropriate and effective to sus- 
pend in each window a trio of toy balloons, 

[21] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

red, white, and blue in color, respectively. 
Miniature airplanes hung overhead at in- 
tervals down the length of the room would 
add realism. 

In different places on the walls fasten con- 
spicuously large posters boldly lettered with 
the program of events, as follows: 

1. Tests: 

Ground work 

Control 

Balance 

2. Flights 

3. Stunts and Tricks: 

Hands Up 
Spiral 

Reverse speed 
Low speed 
Spin 

Nose dives 
Loop the loop 

4. Air Races 

5. Arrival of Air Mail 
[22] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

To promote fun, put up a few placards 
featuring certain well-known members in 
some of the events. For instance: 



*^See Charlie Hays loop the loop!*' 
or 
^'Mildred Brown's control is wonderful! '* 

A good leader can make this program 
go off well by calling on volunteers for the vari- 
ous contests. Sometimes people like better to 
take part in teams. 

The first test, which is called ^'ground 
work,'' is a hopping stunt. The contestants 
hop on one foot to a given goal, and the one 
who does it most easily and gracefully and 
holds out best is declared victorious by the 
judges. Blue ribbon badges are pinned on 
the successful persons. 

Next comes ''control," which turns out to 
be facial control under difficulties. No mat- 
ter what the funny, teasing, or pseudo- 
insulting remarks or performances of the on- 
lookers, the contestants must retain calm and 
unmoved expressions as they stand in line. 

C23] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

*' Balance" proves who best can poise an 
apple on the head and walk across the room. 
All the *^ balancers" start at the same moment, 
and the first successful ones are awarded the 
blue ribbon. Balancing peanuts on a knife 
blade and carrying them thus from one end 
of the room to the other is another way to 
execute the test. 

When it is time for "flights" everybody is 
handed a paper aviation cap to put on. Then 
paper and pencils are passed and all are in- 
vited to take flights of fancy. These, it may 
be explained, may be rhymes, romances, or 
the biggest lies that can be recalled. A flight 
of oratory may also be offered. A com- 
mittee of three appointed on the spot promises 
to report on the winners at the close of the 
evening. If preferred, a program of poems 
and short, comic, exaggerated stories may be 
prepared beforehand, and fill in this space 
with apparent impromptu. 

The stunts and tricks follow in detail : 

I. Hands Up, Only one person knows 
the stunt and she quite mystifies everyone 
[24] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

who presents himself and obeys her, till some 
one guesses the secret or she finally tells it. 

She begins by ordering her student on trial 
to raise one hand and keep the other at his 
side while her own back is turned. Upon 
turning around she is able to specify the hand 
which was raised. ^ The secret is, of course, 
that the hand which hangs at the side, 
because of its position, becomes redder than 
the raised hand. At a glance she notes the 
difference in color and so knows which hand 
has been raised. 

2. Spiral. This is a good mixer. All are 
asked to form in line, one behind another, each 
one's hands on the shoulders of the person 
ahead. The leader then starts the line wind- 
ing around and round the room into a spiral 
and then unwinding it — the well-known 
gymnasium class stunt which carried through 
in a sprightly way is bound to make every- 
body feel better acquainted. 

3. Reverse Speed. Any number line up for 

a backward race. They go as fast as they can 

backward to an appointed goal. 

[25] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

4. Low Speed, Any number may enter. 
This is a '^slow'' race, that is to say, all con- 
testants progress as slowly as possible to a 
certain goal. 

5. Spin, ^ A supply of children's tops is 
provided and the ability to spin them properly 
is demonstrated. A few musical tops among 
them will add to the hilarity. 

6. Nose Dives, This is a stunt which will 
probably appeal most to the boys or the more 
adventurous girls. It consists of pushing 
apples or peanuts along given chalk marks 
on table or floor by means of the nose 
only. 

7. Loop the Loop. To those who know 
how to tie different kinds of knots, the 
announcement of this contest gives a chance 
to show what they can do. 

The "air races'' are of two sorts: the '*hot 
air" race and the balloon race. In the *'hot 
air" race the contestants are timed as to the 
number of words each can say in three min- 
utes with the eyes shut. For the balloon race 

several strings are stretched from one side of 
[26] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

the room to the other, and the same number 
of toy balloons is suppHed. The object is for 
the contestants to blow their respective bal- 
loons across the room, following as nearly as 
possible the courses of string. The choice 
of different colored balloons makes for interest 
and consequent ''rooting." 

The arrival of the air mail is heralded by 
the entrance of someone dressed in aviator's 
garments — warm helmet, goggles, gloves and 
all — carrying a mail sack (if real, a new one: 
but an imitation one suffices). 

The aviator then proceeds to take out 
numerous packets which he hands to the 
guests as far as they go. There should be at 
least half as many packages as persons present. 
Each bundle is marked 

^' Owner unknown. 

Find another to share this.'' 

The explanation is that each recipient of a 

parcel must immediately seek a partner and, 

upon doing so, open the parcel. Enough 

sandwiches for two are revealed. Meanwhile, 

[27] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

hot coffee or chocolate is being passed by 
pretty waitresses with Japanese fans stuck in 
their hair airplane-wise. 

The evening may end with a "musical 
flight," or, in other words, a rousing "sing/' 



[28] 



A MOCK CANTEEN 

FOR one boy who wanted to entertain a 
few of the fellows who had been in camp 
with him, his hospitable sister planned a jolly- 
supper party which undoubtedly owed its 
success to its "homeiness." Certainly its 
friendly informality accomplished much more 
than any large outlay in money could have 
done. There were to be half a dozen boys, 
so five other girls were invited to make an 
equal number of girls and men. 

To begin with, the hostess passed around 
to the girls slips of paper and duplicate slips 
to the men. 

Each slip contained the name of some 
article of food for supper and the man and 
girl who drew duplicate slips were thus dele- 
gated to prepare that particular dish together. 

When all had matched up partners they 
repaired to the kitchen, a big old-fashioned 
room with plenty of space for all of them. 

[29] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

The hostess and her partner did no cooking, 
but announced that they would manage this 
cafeteria. 

While all the others were in the kitchen, 
they arranged on a side table in the dining- 
room stacks of tin trays, knives, forks, spoons, 
and paper napkins. Over it they posted a 
bulletin board in good imitation of a real 
cafeteria. There were listed on it the five 
dishes which were being prepared and as a 
joke a number of others — quite impossible 
to cook at such a time, as roast beef, mince 
pie, frozen pudding — all of which were 
then heavily crossed off in black ink. 

When the cooks had finished their tasks 
(and the cheerful uproar that accompanied 
their occupations may be easily imagined) 
the food was arranged on a long kitchen table. 
Thereupon each person, after possessing him 
or herself of a tray and the required silver 
and scanning the menu posted, passed on 
and pretended to select from the counter. 
In reality, of course, everyone took every- 
thing, and received a check from the hostess 
[30] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

with a punch against some ^^stunt" written 
on it. 

The menu as prepared read as follows: 

Scalloped salmon 

Fruit salad 

Lettuce sandwiches 

Chocolate pudding with whipped cream 

Tea or coffee 

Two tables were left bare in the dining- 
room and the company chose seats where 
they wished. 

A great deal of additional fun was gained 
upon finding that someone had surreptitiously 
set up a placard on one of the tables reading 
"Reserved for Ladies/' Over the cold water 
faucet was a sign reading '^ Water*' and 
glasses were grouped near it. 

After supper the various stunts registered 
on the checks and some rollicking songs filled 
the remainder of a merry evening in which 
there had been absolutely no chance for stiflf- 
ness from beginning to end. 

These were some of the stunts : 

C31] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

For the Men 

1. Show in five different ways how reveille 

affected your friends. 

2. Give an imitation of a lady and her pet 

"Peke." 

3. Go around the room without touching 

your feet to the floor. 

4. Do a ballet act. 

5. Dig a trench (in pantomime). 

6. Sing a Mother Goose rhyme through 

your nose. 

For the Girls 

1. Give a military salute to every man in 

the room in turn. 

2. Choose a partner to walk around the 

"chimney" with you ten times. 

3. Count to fifty, substituting the words 

"Oh, fudge!" for fives and every 
multiple of five. 

4. Pretend to eat a bunch of grapes. 

5. Represent your favorite movie actress 

till the others guess her correctly. 

6. Flirt in three different ways. 
C32] 



A PROGRESSIVE MARCH PARTY 

\ GROUP of high school friends, a social 
-^^^ club of boys and girls, or a church society 
of young people will enjoy giving the follow- 
ing party in March. 

Send out invitations written on cards read- 
ing as follows : 

March is the month of all the year 
When lamb and lion do appear y 
[When pussy willow comes anew 
And March hare scampers into view. 
If you would meet these creatures four 
And maybe several others more, 
Then come prepared for work and play 
To Grangers^ hall^^M arch fir st, the day. 

On the invitation cards, tiny hares, lions, 
lambs, or sprays of pussy willows can be out- 
lined or traced by means of carbon paper 
from pictures. 

[33] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

The guests upon arrival draw from a basket 
containing tiny toy or cracker lions, lambs, 
rabbits and cats, whichever kind of favor 
they wish. 

According to the favor each one draws, the 
guests take their places respectively at the 
March hare table, the lion table, the lamb 
table, or the pussy willow table. Each table 
is marked by a distinguishing centerpiece: at 
the March hare table is a plaster rabbit, at 
the lion table, a toy lion; the lamb table has a 
woolly lamb on wheels, and the pussy willow 
table, a bunch of pussy willows or a stuffed 
cat. 

The fun is now ready to begin, for with the 
implements and materials provided at each 
table the guests are required to produce a 
facsimile of the animal for which the table is 
named. Different materials are provided at 
each table, so there is no monotony, as the 
guests progress from table to table after 
half an hour's stay at each one in turn. 

Modeling clay is the medium in which the 
March hares are to be done, and no imple- 
C34] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

merits except fingers are supposed to be used, 
though if a boy slyly makes use of his jack- 
knife, there are no embarrassing questions 
asked. 

The lions are to be carved from potatoes 
with the aid of little kitchen vegetable knives, 
and the lambs are to be fashioned from cotton 
wool, matches, and mucilage. 

At the pussy willow table the guests must 
show how expert they can be at cutting cats, 
free hand, from flannel. Beads for eyes, and 
floss and bristles for whiskers, are also fur- 
nished. 

Prizes are given for the best and the worst 
specimen at each table. 

A rabbit's foot charm, a small reproduction 
of the Barye lion, or the well-known Perry 
picture of a lion, a Dresden-china lamb or 
shepherdess, and a pussy-cat plate, pincushion, 
or paper weight are suggestions for first 
prizes, and four little tin horns painted green 
may be given as booby prizes to the four 
"greenhorns'* who have the worst showing. 

[35] 



AN AUTUMN LEAF DANCE 

TN the fall, after school has opened, some 
-*■ class often likes to give a reception to the 
entering class. An autumn leaf dance in 
October is the prettiest kind of one to have. 
: Decorate the school hall with branches of 
scarlet and yellow maple leaves, or deep red 
and russet oak boughs. 

For the dance programs make covers from 
water-color paper cut and painted to look like 
oak or maple leaves. The inside pages can 
be of thin white paper in the same shape. 
Attach little red pencils. 

Plan one autumn leaf dance in which each 
girl receives a wreath of autumn leaves from 
her partner. For refreshments have orange 
or raspberry ice with vanilla ice-cream, and 
serve it on plates covered with leaf-shaped 
paper doilies. 
[36] 



A HARVEST HOME PARTY 



A ''RED EAR" party is what they called 
it in the invitations. It was the open- 
ing party of the year in the ^high school and 
the seniors planned it. 

The cards they sent out said: 

Oh, this time o' the year 
Tou'll recall the red ear 
{It will never go out o' date); 
So the members of 'Hwenty^^ 
Have planned fun a-plenty 
At a regular Harvest Home fete — 
You're invited! 

The school hall was delightfully decorated 
emphasizing the autumn colors. Bright tawny 
leaves banked the platform where the orches- 
tra sat, and along the side walls globes of red 
and orange balloons glowed among the soft 
tans and browns of cornstalks. From the 

[37] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

ceiling, myriads of red and orange paper 
lanterns swayed brilliantly. 

The dance programs were ^'red ears*' 
cut from cardboard, and tiny red pencils 
dangled from them. Some of the names of 
the dances to excite curiosity were: 

The Corn Stalk 

The Scarecrow Skitter 

Farmerettes Fancy 

Popcorn Waltz 

Orchard One-step 

Pumpkin Pie Walk 

Red Ear Dance 

Harvest Home Revue 

The Corn Stalk was in the nature of a 
grand march — everybody "stalking stiffly'' 
round and round in time to the music, which 
ended in a rollicking one-step. 

Then followed the Scarecrow Skitter. A 
dilapidated old cornfield character in all the 
crudity of flapping black was brought in and 
established in the center of the floor. In his 
shabby hat fluttered a handful of rusty crow 
feathers, and the feature of the dance was for 
C38] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

each boy to secure one of them in passing for 
his partner. The poor old fellow was nearly 
torn to bits in the process. 

The Farmerettes Fancy was another name 
for *' ladies choice." ^ All the girls were given 
tiny toy rakes, hoes, spades, or other farm 
implements which they used as favors in 
choosing partners. 

For the Popcorn Waltz, the favors were pop- 
corn chains for the boys to hang around their 
partners' necks. There was a temptation 
to devour these adornments as well as to use 
them for decorative purposes, and on the 
whole they were a source of much fun. 

The orchestra at intervals in this dance 
made use of some contrivance which sounded 
like corn popping briskly over the fire. 

A shower of snowy white confetti from the 
balcony still further emphasized the popcorn 
idea. 

In the Orchard One-step the boys were 
asked to pick peaches. The girls stood be- 
hind a high screen and thrust their right hands 
above it. The boys reached up, touched the 

[39] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

"peaches" they chose and thereupon the 
girls thus designated one-stepped away with 
their partners. 

Instead of a cake walk, a Pumpkin Pie 
Walk was announced. The contestants could 
indulge in just as crazy, funny or pretty dance 
steps as they liked. The reward to the most 
original, entertaining and clever couple was 
a big pumpkin pie. 

Then came the Red Ear Dance. Every- 
body was blindfolded and asked to pick an 
ear of corn from a big basket. When vision 
was restored the girl holding the red ear 
(an ordinary ear with a red crepe paper wrap- 
ping) was acclaimed queen of the carnival, 
and was presented with a bouquet of red roses. 
During the dance a red glow by means of 
special lighting arrangements filled the hall. 

The Harvest Home Dance came just before 
supper, and lived up to its name, in that paper 
costume caps designating fruits and vege- 
tables were given out and worn, so that the 
whole room seemed to be filled with the 
"harvest." 
C40] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

Tomato, carrot, corn, apple, wheat, squashes, 
grapes, popcorn, watermelon and blackberry 
were all represented. 

The supper dance occurred midway in 
the evening, and the other novelty dances 
described were interspersed before and after 
it. 

The supper consisted merely of peach ice 
cream with sugared popcorn on top, served 
on grape leaves, nut macaroons, tiny pumpkin 
tarts and fruit punch. 



[41] 



COSTUME HATS FOR THE RED 
EAR PARTY 

Tomato: Turkey red crepe paper or cotton 
skull cap with pointed green paper calyx 
and green upstanding stem of wire covered 
over with paper or cloth. 

Carrot: Orange crepe paper or cloth conical 
cap. This may be made on heavy paper or 
cardboard foundation. Characteristic lines 
may be marked on the carrot. 

Corn: Green paper or cloth toboggan cap 
falling gracefully to one side with a long green 
or gold-colored silk tassel. 

Apple: Little round bowl-like cap of glossy 
red paper with a brown stem of paper-covered 
wire. 

Wheat: A wreath of natural or artificial 
wheat ears. 

Squash: Cardboard or stiff paper cut to 
make a ^^ crook neck'' effect, covered with 
yellow paper. 
[42] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

Graphs: A graceful floppy green hat of 
straw or paper with a crown entirely made of 
artificial or real grape bunches — blue or 
purple as desired. - A filet of green ribbon with 
a real or artificial bunch of grapes depending 
on each side to hang over the ears. 

Popcorn: A close-fitting little toque covered 
with tiny pieces of cotton batting to re- 
semble popped corn. 

Watermelon: A crescent-shaped hat to be 
worn broadside suggesting a slice of water- 
melon from green paper border (fitting on 
hair) to pink centv.-r dotted with tiny bits of 
black court plaster to suggest seeds. 

Blackberry: Close-fitting little black quilted 
or puffed bonnet to tie under chin. 



[43] 



A NUTTY PARTY FOR OCTOBER 

\ GIRL who wanted to give an inexpensive 
■^-^ jolly little party in honor of a visiting 
friend in October issued invitations to a nut 
gathering. 

At the top of each correspondence card 
which served as an invitation, she glued half 
an almond shell upon which a face was marked 
in ink. Below this nut head the rest of the 
figure was drawn in ink on the card, and the 
inscription read : 

Pretend youWe a squirrel for once 
And join my nut^gathering stunts, 

Friday, October the eleventh 
at half 'past eight. 

The first amusement of the evening was 
introduced by suspending from the chandelier 
in the center of the room a cocoanut decorated 
with a comical face and a pointed paper cap 
perched on top. 
C44] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

Each person from a distance of ten feet 
was allowed three throws at this cap with a 
little light rubber ball, the object being to 
knock Mr. Cocoanut's cap off. The best 
marksman won a prize. 

This first nut stunt caused so much fun 
that no one wanted to be lured away to a Nut 
Exhibit. Ten varieties of nuts were repre- 
sented by pictures or objects and little slips 
of paper and pencil were distributed for re- 
cording guesses. 
The display was as follows : 

1. A bit of butter on a plate 

2. A stout, old-fashioned stick 

3 . A can of canned peas with indicating label 

4. A single pea 

5. A map of South America with the out- 

lines of Brazil especially prominent 

6. A picture of typical English stone or 

brick wall 

7. A can or cup of cocoa 

8. A photograph of Hazel Dawn, the 

movie star 

[45 ] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

9. A beetle specimen (dead or alive) 
10. Three ears of corn arranged to form the 
letter A 

Answers 



I. 


Butternut 


6. 


English walnut 


2. 


Hickory nut 


7. 


Cocoanut 


3. 


Pecan nut 


8. 


Hazel nut 


4- 


Peanut 


9- 


Betel nut 


^. 


Brazil nut 


10. 


Acorn 



The winner of this contest also had a prize. 

Of course a nut party would hardly be com- 
plete without a peanut hunt and there was also 
a peanut race in which the object was to 
transfer the peanuts from one end of the room 
to another on the blade of a table knife. 

In still another peanut contest the object 
was to pitch ten peanuts into a narrow-necked 
jar at a distance of about twelve feet. 

To choose partners for refreshments a 
basket of English walnuts was passed, each 
little nut with a painted face and a paper cap 
of some sort. Blue sailor caps, soldier caps, 
Red Cross nurse head-dresses, Scotch Tam o' 
C46] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

Shanters, babies' bonnets, girls' gay garden 
hats, were all represented. - There were only 
two of a kind, and the two individuals who 
selected them were of course partners. 

In addition each nut proved to be only a 
hollow nut shell ; in one was a conundrum, in 
its mate the answer. 

The refreshments were nut-bread sand- 
wiches, peanut butter sandwiches, hot cocoa, 
cocoanut macaroons, vanilla ice-cream with 
chocolate nut sauce, and peanut brittle. 



[47] 



A MAY POLE PARTY FOR 
CHILDREN 

/^NE teacher planned a very happy May 
^^ party for her Httle boy and girl pupils. 
There was no chance to set up a big May pole 
out-of-doors for the children to wind, but her 
idea turned out to be more original and 
maybt even more jolly, 

There were eighteen children included in 
the party, which was held in the park. On 
arriving, each child was given a little peaked 
paper cap of bright colored tissue paper. 
The boys liked these as well as the girls did, 
although they found them harder to keep 
in place on their heads. As soon as the chil- 
dren had donned their caps, three of the 
tallest children were appointed to "help 
teacher." This helping consisted in march- 
ing proudly out from behind a screen of bushes, 
carrying three gay little May poles, decked 
with flowers and colored paper streamers. 
[48] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

They had been made by swinging a barrel 
hoop from a broomstick handle, by means of 
a number of ribbon-like strips of cloth. Of 
course the hoops were wound with the cloth, 
and besides that were trimmed with apple 
blossoms and lilacs. 

From the rim of each hoop the cloth strips 
hung straight down for two or three feet. 
The colors on the May pole matched the 
colored caps that the children wore. 

There proved to be just fifteen streamers^ 
and each child was allowed to pick out a 
streamer to correspond with the color of the 
cap worn. Thus a little girl with a pink cap 
would pick out a pink streamer; a little boy 
with a green cap, a green streamer, and so on. 
The children who held the May poles were 
then asked to stand at some distance apart 
out in the open space of the park, and each 
little group of five danced round and round, 
and back and forth, holding and twisting their 
colored streamers. 

Somehow this amused tnem almost all 
the long spring afternoon. Different children 

[49] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

took turns holding the May poles and some- 
times they would even form a procession and 
hippity-hop around the park. They paraded 
down Main Street for a little way, but came 
back to the park in time to play *'Drop the 
Handkerchief," "Hide and Seek," and "Tag," 
before refreshments were served. 

They were perfectly delighted, of course, 
with strawberry lemonade, brown bread sand- 
wiches, and little frosted cup cakes, which 
their teacher's mother had made and on which 
she had outlined in pink candies the individual 
initials of the children. 



Cso] 



OUTDOOR AFFAIRS 



OUTDOOR AFFAIRS 

/^UT-OF-DOOR entertaining is perhaps the 
^^ easiest kind of all — if you live in the 
country or the near-country. Anything elab- 
orate in the arrangements would be quite out 
of keeping and there's something about being 
outdoors that takes away constraint. That's 
probably why outdoor parties, because they 
are simple and natural, bring people together 
in a spirit of good fellowship and are certain 
of success. 

Children especially love them and young 
people always find an evening garden party 
entrancing. 

One of the jolliest kinds of outdoor parties 
is a bacon bat. It may be a breakfast or a 
luncheon or a supper, but there is always 
bacon and an open fire. 

Now that automobiles are so abundant, the 
possibilities for motor picnics and progressive 
motor parties are many and various. 

[53] 



A BACON BAT 

4 GIRL who lived in the country and had 
-^ ^ some city friends visiting her gave them 
the time of their Hves at a bacon bat. She 
telephoned around to some of the young 
people and invited them to appear about five 
o'clock in picnic clothes. The hike wouldn't 
be long, she announced. 

At the specified time a jolly bunch assembled 
to squabble good-naturedly over the various 
packages and bundles assigned to them to be 
carried. Under the hostess's direction they 
betook themselves via footpath and trail to a 
stone-walled pasture spicy with sweet fern. 

Long toasting switches were readily cut by 
the boys from the trees in the vicinity and 
wood was collected for two fires. Over one the 
coffee was set to boil, and over the other the 
young folks proceeded to toast bacon. Rolls 
were provided in which to insert the crisp 
juicy morsels after toasting, and each person 
C54] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

ate his or her own bacon sandwiches broiling 
hot without further ceremony. 

Cucumber pickles -" and mustard proved 
popular accompaniments and the coffee was 
appreciated — drunk from tin cups. 

There followed some huckleberry turnovers 
and homemade cookies, but on top of the 
bacon and rolls they were almost superfluous. 

Instead of bacon, chops, steak, or Frank- 
furters may be roasted, as well as corn in 
season, but bacon is the least messy to eat. 

Following the supper came stories and 
songs around the bonfire till late in the eve- 
ning. The city guests enjoyed it all be- 
cause to them it was so great a novelty. For 
the hostess it was a much easier way to intro- 
duce her guests to her friends than a more 
formal affair would have been. 

A bacon bat is especially fun in spring or 
fall, but is also very enjoyable on the beach 
in summer vacation time. 

A marshmallow roast in the evening is first 
cousin to a bacon bat. 



A CHILDREN'S DAISY PARTY 

T ET the children make the invitations 
-■— * they send out for their own daisy party. 
On heavy water color paper they may draw 
and cut out simple outlines of daisies — 
about ten petals around a center which is then 
colored yellow with crayons. Each petal 
may hold one or two words of the invitation, 
thus: Will — you — come — to — our — 
daisy — party — on — Saturday — at — 
three? — Betty and John. 

Of course there should be some outdoor 
games, and a good one to play is "Daisy in 
the Dell.'' For this the children form in a 
circle, joining hands, and one is chosen to be 
daisy-picker. The daisy-picker runs around 
the outside of the circle, chanting: 

"Daisy [in the Dell, Daisy in the Dell, I 
don't pick you, I don't pick you, I do pick you." 

The child whom the daisy-picker touches 
upon reaching the last word must try to run 
C56] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

entirely around the circle and back to his 
place before the daisy-picker catches him. 
If he succeeds, he need not be *'it"; but if he 
is caught, he must be the daisy-picker. 

"Are You a Daisy?" is another jolly 
game. The players stand in a line facing 
one child, who is chosen to be "it.'^ This 
child asks each one in turn the question, "Are 
you a daisy?" Each child answers by naming 
the flower he chooses to be. Thus one may 
say, "I am a rose"; another, "I am a pansy." 
If any child chooses to say, "I am a daisy," 
he is immediately chased by the questioner, 
and if caught, he must take the place of the 
questioner. The game then proceeds as be- 
fore. One rule is that a child must not repeat 
the name of a flower that another child has 
given. 

A game that is based on the Mother Goose 
rhyme, "Rich Man, Poor Man, Beggar Man, 
Thief," etc., is called "Rich Man, Poor Man." 
One child is chosen to whisper to each of the 
players some word of the rhyme. The named 
children then stand in a circle, and another 

CS7] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

child who is ''it'' may call for any character 
in the rhyme that he wishes; the child who 
has been given that name must respond by 
saying ''Here/' and then running away. For 
instance, the one who is "it" may call for 
"lawyer," and the child to whom that name 
has been whispered calls out "Here," and is 
immediately chased by the leader. If he is 
caught within a reasonable length of time, he 
is "it," and the former leader drops out. This 
should be played until only two are left. 

The refreshments carry out the daisy idea, 
and should be served outdoors, either on the 
piazza or on the lawn. The centerpiece at 
the supper-table is a big bunch of daisies, and 
each child has a place-card on which is painted 
or drawn a daisy face, the petals forming a cap 
frill. The sandwiches are bread and butter, 
and some "good-to-eat" daisies can be made 
from hard-boiled eggs, by cutting the whites 
petal-shaped, and by mixing the yellow with 
salad mayonnaise to form the centers. Mar- 
guerites and little cakes frosted in yellow and 

white may be served with vanilla ice cream. 

CS8] 



A HAWAIIAN PORCH LUNCHEON 

/^NE woman entertained her club at their 
^-^ last meeting of the year with a little porch 
luncheon. Hawaii had been one of the sub- 
jects of study, so the Hawaiian note was 
dominant throughout. 

Each guest was welcomed with a lei, the 
Hawaiian paper flower garland which sig- 
nifies friendship. Hung about the neck, these 
decorations excited much fun. 

The Hawaiian features of the refreshments 
were Hawaiian pineapple salad and little imi- 
tation volcanoes which were in reality cones of 
vanilla ice-cream in the center of which holes 
had been scooped and then filled with hot 
caramel sauce, which of course overflowed the 
sides in true lava fashion. 

The favors were tiny dolls, each dressed in a 
short bright-fringed paper skirt, orange, green, 
blue or pink, to match the color of the lei 

CS9] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

which each lady had already received as a 
souvenir. 

During the luncheon the hostess played 
several Hawaiian musical selections on her 
phonograph. If any of her friends had owned 
or played a ukelele, doubtless the plaintive 
music would have been a feature. 



[60] 



A WATERMELON FROLIC 

^"XT^HEN watermelons were ripe and plen- 
* ^ tiful, big pink posters cut oval with 
a painted border of green and black lettering 
on the pink startled the village with the notice 
of a watermelon frolic. 
They read : 

Do you like watermelon? 

Anyway 

Be sure to come to a watermelon party 

on the local fairgrounds 

next Tuesday evening 

Admission 25 cents 

This entitles you to see the minstrel show 

Proceeds for the Epworth League 

of Church 

Long plank tables on wooden horses were 

improvised for serving the watermelons which 

were contributed by the members of the 

society. Some of the men acted as carvers 

[61] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

of the melons, and the girls served the por- 
tions, which were sold for ten cents each. 

The grounds were lighted with strings of 
electric lights in pink and green paper lanterns. 

Besides the main attraction there were 
several booths and side shows, arranged 
country fair fashion, which drew well. One 
was labeled the watermelon patch. For 
this, real watermelon vines had been ob- 
tained from somebody's garden and placed 
naturally on the ground. To the vines were 
tied any number of artificial melons made of 
green paper stuffed with cotton wadding 
which concealed tiny favors. 

On payment of ten cents any person had 
the privilege of picking a melon. The prize 
inside was supposed to be worth the fee. 

At another booth, "watermelon cake" was 
served at five cents a slice. The secret of this 
was that in making a plain cake the batter 
had been colored with pink sugar and sprinkled 
with raisins. The cake was then baked in a 
round tin and when sliced resembled the 
pink of watermelon filled with black seeds. 

[62] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

As it was sweet corn season, and as corn 
is also typical of the South, there was a hot 
corn vender, who sold steaming ears straight 
from kettle to buyer. 

One feature of the evening was a water- 
melon contest among the boys. Volunteers 
were called for and lined up at a table. They 
were then supplied with large wedges of melon 
and at the sound of the referee's whistle the 
race began. 

The prize was a whole watermelon. 

There was also a watermelon hurdle race. 
The course was laid out with big watermelons 
and time was kept for each hurdler. 

The main attraction of the evening, how- 
ever, was the minstrel show. On a raised 
wooden platform sat the performers with 
blackened hands and faces. They wore gro- 
tesque garb and each one fingered a guitar, 
mandolin, or banjo. 

First they gave a number of well-known 
Southern melodies such as Old Black Joe^ 
Swanee Riber, Dixie, Massas in de Cold, Cold 
Ground. Some whistling numbers were much 

[63 ] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

appreciated and My Alabama Coon, with its 
humming and strumming, proved a great 
success. As a special item of their musical 
program they sang a parody of Apple Blossom 
Time called It^s Watermelon Time in Dixie, 

The watermelon frolic was a great success 
and is recommended to any organization in 
town or country at watermelon tirr e as a fun- 
and funds-producing social. 

Parody 

"When It's Watermelon Time in Dixie" ^ 

After 



« 



When It's Apple Blossom Time in 
Normandie" 

{Sing with appropriate motions) 

Repeat: 

When it's watermelon time in Dixie Land^ 
Ah wants to be 

Right dher ^ you see 

^ Sway heads and bodies 

^ Jerk thumbs backward over shoulder 

C64] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

In dat dear old melon patch 

To eat a batch ! 
When it's watermelon time in Dixie Land 

Dat's de time of all de year 

When Ah grin ^ with cheer from ear to ear 
Watermelon's jes' grand!!! 

* Grin broadly — stretch hands from corners of 
mouth to ears. 



[65] 



A JAPANESE GARDEN PARTY 

\ GIRL who wished to entertain for a 
-^-^ visiting school friend one evening in 
midsummer sent out invitations to a Japanese 
Garden Party. She wrote them on the pretty 
little hand-decorated place-cards which are 
to be found in most shops now. The Jap- 
anese writing paper which comes in rolls is 
another possibility for them. 

She had a wide porch and a big lawn which 
she decorated for the occasion with strings 
of pink, yellow and green Japanese lanterns 
with electric bulbs inside. Settees and wicker 
chairs were scattered in cosy groups through 
the shrubbery, and there was a faint odor of 
burning incense. 

For entertainment there was dancing on 
the porch to the tune of a phonograph and a 
program of Japanese music, including some 
selections from "Butterfly" and "The Mi- 
kado." 
[66] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

A clever reader gave one of the Hashimura 
Togo stories, and also the hostess had ar- 
ranged some artistic tableaux in Japanese 
fashion. 

When it was refreshment time, cunning 
little girl friends of the hostess appeared in 
Japanese kimonos, hair done high and stuck 
full of tiny fans or flowers. They bore Jap- 
anese lacquer trays with tiny sandwiches 
(filled with preserved ginger), cherry ice and 
rice wafers. A wee Japanese flag was stuck 
in each portion of cherry ice. 

The favors were wee Japanese doilies which 
the guests were bidden to hunt for under a 
certain group of trees. While doing so, a 
sudden surprise shower of seeming cherry 
blossoms covered them with pink and white 
petals. These were really confetti petals 
obligingly scattered by the nimble little 
waitresses perched in the branches above. 



1^71 



A COMMENCEMENT PICNIC 

TNSTEAD of giving the usual banquet and 
-*- reception to the seniors, the juniors in a 
small school might well plan an outdoor pic- 
nic and supper. It has the possibility of 
being jollier than the regulation affair, and is 
certainly less expensive. 

Individual invitations may be sent out to 
the senior class — quite unusual and mys- 
terious invitations — for each one may con- 
sist of a colored feather quill with a message 
written on a slip of paper wrapped about the 
end. This reads: 

Greetings from the Tribe of Twenteequas 

To the Tribe of Nyneteenwas: 

Will the Tribe of Nyneteenwas 

Smoke the pipe of friendship 

Round the camp-fire of the Twenteequas 

On the sixteenth day of the Moon of Roses 

One hour before waysawi (sunset)? 

One of the Twenteequas will act as your guide. 
[68] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

As soon as the two classes have gathered 
at the picnic ground, the juniors, already- 
decked in head bands of ribbon in their own 
class colors, may present the seniors with 
similar ribbons. The boys may have feathers 
stuck in theirs — if they don't object to head 
bands. 

The chief of the Twenteequas may an- 
nounce the first stunt as a Hunt for Game, 
and all must hunt in pairs, matching partners 
by means of selecting, blindfolded, colored 
beads from a basket. Pasteboard bows and 
arrows are supplied, and everyone is told 
to return at the summons of a beaten tom- 
tom. 

The couples then scatter into the sur- 
rounding woods, and hunt for animal crackers 
which have previously been hidden by a 
committee of juniors. 

The prize for the couple getting the most 
game might be an animal toy. 

Next, volunteers to "Run the Gauntlet" 
may be called for. The others form in two 
parallel lines facing each other, armed with 

C69] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

pieces of chalk. The victims must run down 
between the Hues to a goal at the end, while 
the cruel Indians on each side reach out to 
put a chalk mark on them. The victim who 
gets the least chalk marks is permitted to 
select five of his tormentors to perform a 
series of stunts, previously planned by the 
junior entertainment committee. 

Appropriate ones are these: i. Give an 
Indian war whoop. 2. Do an Indian war 
dance. 3. Give Indian names to five people 
here. 4. Make a speech in sign language. 
5. Tell an Indian story. 

Supper should be eaten around a big camp- 
fire, and should consist of coffee cooked over 
the fire, nut-bread sandwiches, cold chicken 
and potato chips, and chocolate ice-cream 
under individual miniature tepees of brown 
paper. 

Paint on each tepee in black some symbol 
apparently mysterious but in reality char- 
acteristic of the owner. Thus, a girl with a 
beautiful voice and a talent for singing may 
have a quaint bird on hers; an athlete, a pair 
C70] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

of Indian clubs; a domestic science girl, a 
bowl and spoon or a kettle, and so on. 

Redskins and Palefaces complete the menu, 
Palefaces being cookies with white icing and 
features marked in candies, and Redskins 
being apples. 

Toasting marshmallows over the fire and 
singing school ditties and old favorites will 
end this unique party delightfully. 



[71] 



A PROGRESSIVE MOTOR PARTY 

4 GROUP of girls who lived in the country 
-^ ^ gave a delightful farewell party for one 
of their number who was to move out of town 
to another part of the world. They called 
it a Progressive Rainbow. 

At four o'clock one Saturday afternoon they 
all met at one of the homes. 

The porch was decorated in a red color 
scheme. A row of red Japanese lanterns 
hung from the roof all around. Red cushions 
were scattered about in the chairs and on the 
steps, and a jar of crimson rambler roses 
adorned the table. 

Everybody sat about and gossiped for a 
little while, and then fruit cocktails, to which 
strawberries gave the touch of red, were served. 

A tray of red ribbon streamers was passed, 
and each girl pinned one on her blouse, as the 
beginning of her rainbow badge. 

The guest of honor found with her favor a 
[72] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

package tied with red tulle, which she was 
requested not to open till the end of the after- 
noon. 

After this, two automobiles, owned by 
members of the group or their families, 
whisked the party along two miles of fresh 
country road to the home of another girl in 
the group. 

Little tables had been set on the lawn with 
a bouquet of old-fashioned marigolds in the 
center of each one, and a toy orange balloon 
tied to the back of each chair by a long string. 
Here were served jellied orange soup in cups, 
and saltines. 

The girls received orange-colored favor rib- 
bons to pin next to their red ones, and the 
guest of honor received another prize packet, 
this time tied with orange tulle. 

From there they all jumped again into the 
waiting cars and were transported to the home 
of a third girl for the third course. 

This time it was served in the dining-room, 
which was decorated with yellow snapdragons. 
A basket of them filled the center of the table, 

[73] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

and at each place was a scalloped shell con- 
taining deviled crab meat garnished with 
lemon quarters and accompanied by tartar 
sauce. Cubes of hot yellow cornbread were 
delicious with the crab. 

Again the passing of the yellow ribbons to 
the girls and the presenting of the yellow-tied 
package to the guest of honor were the signals 
for leaving to go to the next house. 

The automobiles quickly took them there, 
where the main course of the dinner was to be 
eaten. Maidenhair ferns were lovely in a 
green bowl on the table, and tiny wood ferns 
were scattered over the white tablecloth. 

The menu consisted of broiled chicken, 
fresh green peas, small boiled potatoes with 
parsley, and rye rolls. 

By this time the girls were getting inter- 
ested in their rainbow of ribbons, to which 
the green was now added, and the guest of 
honor received her fourth package, green-tied. 

Motoring to the salad course, the group 
found the dining-room lighted by blue candles, 
though the guests were begged not to feel blue. 
[74] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

Ragged robins were arranged as a centerpiece, 
and fluttering blue tissue butterflies marked 
the places. 

F The salad was prunes stuffed with peanuts 
in hearts of lettuce, served with French dress- 
ing and Dutch cheese balls. 

By the time the sixth stop was reached the 
sun had set and the moon was coming up, so 
that the girls sat on the veranda in the moon- 
light and sipped grape-juice ice to the music 
of romantic ditties. Lavender streamers were 
added next to the blue ones, and their badges 
were complete. I 

As they finally drove up to the last house, 
they were greeted by a rainbow of tulle which 
arched the entrance to the porch. 
' With their fluttering rainbow ribbon badges 
and the armful of rainbow packages belonging 
to the guest of honor, they felt very much at 
home with the rainbow, and the guest of honor 
was not even surprised to be asked to seek the 
pot of gold at the foot. 

In the yellow pottery jar which she dis- 
covered were as many gold nuggets as there 

[75] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

were girls, and each nugget was a little gilt- 
paper-wrapped joke for the trip. 

The real, sure-enough farewell gifts to keep 
were in the packages progressively received, 
and there was a jolly time opening them under 
the rainbow. 



C76] 



BIRTHDAYS AND OTHER 
ANNIVERSARIES 



[77] 



BIRTHDAYS AND OTHER 
ANNIVERSARIES 

"D IRTHDAYS you particularly wish to cele- 
-*-^ brate happily and successfully. There's 
your mother's birthday or your brother's or 
your little son's or daughter's birthday or 
the birthday of the popular president of your 
special club. 

Then there are the various wedding anni- 
versaries that call for suitable recognition, 
especially the five, ten, and twenty-five year 
ones. 

Besides these there are countless other 
events that you want to commemorate pleas- 
antly in some way afterward. These various 
occasions offer fascinating possibilities for the 
most delightful of social affairs. 

[79] 



A BACHELOR SUPPER 

" When I was a bachelor I lived hy myself 
And all the bread and cheese I got, I put upon 

the shelf; 
The rats and the mice, they made such a strife 
I was forced to go to London to buy me a wife. 
The streets were so broad and the lanes were so 

narrow 
I was forced to bring my wife home in a wheel- 
barrow!^ 

THHIS old Mother Goose rhyme was the 
-*- keynote of a bachelor supper which 
one girl gave for her brother and a few of 
his friends on his birthday. 

The centerpiece on the table was an ar- 
rangement of bachelors' buttons and at every 
place was a tiny toy wheelbarrow filled with 
candies, a wee dressed-up dolly dame perched 

atop of each load. 
[80] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

The rhyme also furnished the reason for 
the first course, which was most suitably 
bread and cheese, only the bread was in the 
form of buttered rounds of toast and the 
cheese was a delicious Welsh rarebit, accom- 
panied by coffee or gingerale. 

Ice-cream in cantaloupes with a chocolate 
mouse nibbling at the rind followed, to be 
eaten with those most delicious of all cookies 
— home-made "hermits." 



[81] 



MOTHER'S BIRTHDAY TEA 

\ PLEASANT way for a daughter to 
-^-^ entertain for her mother is to give 
a little informal afternoon tea, asking the 
mother's friends and their daughters and 
thus making it a kind of mother and daughter 
affair. 

Send out the invitations on your calling 
card, writing your mother's name at the top. 
If your mother likes surprises, arrange the 
party to be one if possible, but if she is like 
most mothers she will prefer to know what's 
going on and so be prepared. 

The rooms should be decorated with flowers 
of the season. The country girl will find it 
easy in spring, summer, or fall. 

During the afternoon a little program of 
previously arranged ''mother" songs, lullabies 
and readings by some of the guests may 
agreeably interrupt the chat. 

[82] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

Tea, sandwiches and little cakes may be 
served in the dining-room from a festive birth- 
day table. The centerpiece may be a bowl 
of pink roses — to match in number the years 
of the guest of honor. Candles from under 
rose-colored paper or silk shades may light 
the room, and if desired each guest may be 
presented with a miniature band-box covered 
with rose-sprigged paper or chintz — filled 
with wee pink and white candies. 



[83] 



A PUSSY CAT PARTY 

T^T^HEN Billy's mother decided to give him 
^ * a birthday party, she pounced upon 
the pussy cat plan, partly because pussy- 
willows are still flourishing in April, but 
mostly because she knew that kittens and 
cats are favorites with nine and ten year olds. 

The invitations were folded kitty-cornered 
and inside of each appeared a fat fuzzy little 
gray puss taken from a real pussy-willow 
branch. "Puss" had pen and ink ears, 
whiskers and tail, and likewise a tiny red- 
painted fence post upon which to sit. 

The first game was a good romp at "Puss- 
in-the-Corner.'' That was followed by the 
foolish but funny "Poor Pussy." 

While the children were still in a circle 
for that, Billy's mother explained a new game. 
It was called "Kitty Kitty" and was carried 
out on the lines of "Spin the Platter." In 
every child's ear Billy whispered the name of 
[84] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

some sort of cat, as for instance, tiger, "yal- 
ler," green-eyes, double-toes, maltese, An- 
gora, black and white, gray. 

He then occupied the center of the circle 
and spun a tin pieplate. As he did so he 
called out one of the names he had assigned 
and counted rapidly out loud up to ten. 
Thus, "Green-eyes, one, two, three, four, 
five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.'' 

The child who had been given the name 
"green-eyes" was supposed to jump up and 
snatch the pie tin before Billy had finished 
counting to ten. If "green-eyes" failed, 
then he had to take Billy's place. Billy, too, 
of course, had a pussy cat label. 

Another circle game that was fun was 
called "Pussy's Prowlings." It was on the 
order of stage-coach. Billy's mother told the 
story of a kitty's wanderings and before she 
started to tell it, she whispered to each child 
the name of something which was to appear 
in the story. For instance, she gave out 
"haymow," "milk dish," "mouse hole," "cat- 
nip." 

[85] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

Every time she mentioned any such name 
in the process of telling the story, the child 
who had it was expected to rise from his 
chair, turn around three times and sit down 
again. When the words "pussy's prowlings" 
were mentioned, all the players jumped up 
and exchanged seats. - The story teller also 
tried to get a seat, and if she succeeded the 
child who was finally left without one had to 
continue the story. 

Pussy's Prowlings 

Once there was a Pussycat named 
Blinky who said to herself one day, 
'"I'm tired of milk to drink and I'm oh, so 
hungry for mouse. I must go on a mouse 
hunt." 

So Blinky stole out of the red brick house 
where she lived very happily with the Jones 
family. She pattered down the back door- 
steps where her milk saucer was set and 
she scampered along the winding path to 

the BARN. 

[86] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

(That's the way Pussy's prowlings began.) 

Up the LADDER to the haymow she crept 
and through the heaps of sweet clover hay 
to a HOLE IN THE WALL. There Blinky knew 
lived a mouse. So she crouched close to the 
MOUSE hole, as still as still could be and 
watched, and she watched and she watched 
and she watched. 

But that MOUSE must have been away 
from home or else very busy down in its 
HOLE, for it never once stuck its little nose 
out. And when Blinky had watched there 
in the haymow for three long, long hours, she 
was so hungry that she couldn't watch for 
that MOUSE a single minute more. 

She thought of the milk saucer by the back 
DOORSTEPS and she said to herself, "If I can't 
have MOUSE, milk won't taste so bad after 
all." 

So Blinky made her way back through the 
heaps of hay and scrambled down the ladder 
to the HAYMOW and ran along the winding 
PATH to the back doorsteps. And there, sure 
enough, was a saucer full of milk all ready 

[87] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

for her to drink. So Blinky lapped it up 
very hungrily and was perfectly happy! 

(And that's the way Pussy's prowlings 
ended.) 

The next game was called "Hunt the 
Mouse." Billy had hidden a chocolate mouse 
somewhere in the room and the children were 
asked to be kitties and try to find it. When- 
ever anyone came very near the hiding place^ 
Billy miaowed loudly, or if everyone was 
very far from it, Billy would mew only faintly. 
The "kitty" who found the mouse kept it for 
a reward. 

In another room the children had a chance 
to hunt for those mittens which the "naughty 
kittens" once lost. Many tiny red paper mit- 
tens were scattered throughout the room and 
were much more easily found than the mouse. 

The supper table delighted the children. In 

the center of it sat a big stuffed toy cat 

surrounded by chocolate mice, and at each 

child's place a tiny white plush cat with the 

child's name on a paper tied to the neck had 
[88] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

been placed. Such toys can usually be bought 
in five and ten cent stores. 

Pussy-willow sprays laid flat on the table- 
cloth decorated the table gracefully. The 
napkins were the paper ones which feature 
black cats at Hallowe'en. 

Little ramekins of creamed chicken pleased 
the children. With the chicken, Billy's mother 
served "kitty-cornered" sandwiches of brown 
bread filled with cream cheese and chopped 
nuts. There was hot cocoa too, and for the 
last course individual molds of chocolate 
blanc mange with whipped cream and a can- 
died cherry on top. Needless to say there 
was a birthday cake which was brought in 
ablaze with candles and set before Billy to cut. 

Each guest received a souvenir chocolate 
mouse and was ready to declare upon depart- 
ure at six that the pussy cat party had been, 
oh, so jolly! ; 



[89] 



A GIRL'S BIRTHDAY LUNCHEON 

/^NCE a mother gave a little birthday 
^^ luncheon for her daughter who was a 
freshman in high school. It pleased the 
fourteen-year-old and her friends because 
of the novelty in decorations and menu. 

The class colors were green and white, so 
that scheme was used throughout. In the 
center of the table was a green bowl with a 
few paper narcissi arranged in a flower holder, 
Japanese fashion. 

Around each plate was a wreath of smilax 
— any small green vine would do perfectly 
well — and above each plate a tiny green 
candle burning in a wee holder. The place- 
cards were tied to the handles of the holders. 

Glass dishes of lime drops and wintergreen 
candies added to the general green and white 
effect. 

The menu consisted of fruit cocktail with a 
sprig of mint atop of each portion, followed 
C90] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

by a second course of chicken a la King 
generously sprinkled with capers, and ac- 
companied by hot rolls and olives. Then 
came hot chocolate with a marshmallow 
floating in each cup and milestone salad, which 
consisted of oblongs of cream cheese into 
which numerals cut out of green peppers were 
pressed. The milestones stood erect on fresh 
lettuce leaves and were served with French 
dressing. 

After that a birthday cake was borne in 
ablaze with fourteen green tapers and set 
before the little hostess to cut. Great was 
the fun when the fortune favors, baked in 
the cake, were found by the guests. 

Pistachio ice-cream accompanied the cake, 
but vanilla ice-cream or a green gelatine des- 
sert would be equally fitting. 

The favors were little green vanity bags 
made from ribbon by the fourtcen-year-old's 
mother. 



C91] 



THE WOODEN WEDDING 

4 N informal evening party is perhaps the 
•^ ^ jolliest way to celebrate the fifth wedding 
anniversary. 

After everybody has arrived, try a wooden 
smile contest. There will be any number of 
humorous attempts, but few will be wooden. 
The contestant who smiles most woodenly 
may receive as a prize a gaily painted wooden 
jumping jack or any other wooden toy. 

The next amusement can be a progressive 
one, consisting of putting together at tables 
wooden puzzles of all sorts, including jig-saw 
puzzles. 

Puzzles make good prizes for this contest. 
One of the carefully packed wooden boxes 
of candy is another possibility. 

Another occupation that is appropriate 
and fun-making is a pea and tooth-pick con- 
test. Wooden tooth-picks and dried peas 
soaked up are provided. Each person is 
[92] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

then assigned to construct one member of 
a tooth-pick wedding party properly. The 
tooth-pick persons when finished should form 
in a parade down the center of the library 
table. 

A light buffet supper or simply ice-cream 
and coffee may be served in the dining-room. 
Decorate the table with a central wooden 
bowl containing some simple flowers such as 
daisies, honeysuckles, snapdragons, nastur- 
tiums, or whatever flowers are in season. 

There may be wooden candlesticks with 
candles to match the color scheme and small 
wooden plates and bowls for candies and 
nuts. 

Serve the ice-cream on wooden plates 
covered with lace paper doilies, and give as 
favors tiny wooden household articles such 
as dolls' rolling-pins, clothespins, barrels, 
washtubs, spinning wheels, and the like. 



C93] 



THE TIN WEDDING 

T^HE tenth wedding anniversary has many 
■*- possibilities for fun. An informal so- 
cial evening or a dinner followed by some 
jolly stunts are in order. 

In any case, arrange for the dining table a 
centerpiece of a shiny tin funnel filled with 
bright garden or wild flowers surrounded by 
a frill of lace paper to represent an old- 
fashioned, formal bouquet. Use tin candle- 
sticks with bayberry candles for illumination 
and scatter tiny new patty pans with crinkly 
edges over the table to hold candies and nuts. 

The salad may be served on shiny tin plates 
covered with lace paper doilies, the ice-cream 
in individual patty pans, and the coffee or 
punch in tin cups. 

At each place put a tiny funnel bouquet, a 
miniature of the central one or else some tiny 
tin toy. 
[94] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

Tin whistles for everybody would promote 
the hilarity. 

The old-fashioned game of "Spin the Plat- 
ter" would be good to start the entertainment 
of the evening. Then may come a "tin" 
minute paper and pencil contest to see who 
can write the most words beginning or ending 
with TIN in the allotted ten minutes. 

Ten "reel" years of married life may next 
be shown. This feature is simply a series of 
movie-like pantomimes showing humorous 
events, real or imaginary, in the life of the 
host and hostess — given, of course, by their 
friends. 

A tin band concert will also provide a good 
time. Those who are in the band perform on 
instruments contrived from kitchen utensils 
or the tin noise-making novelties which can be 
obtained in the shops. 



[95] 



A MOCK WEDDING 

\ MOCK WEDDING is a funny way to 
-^^ celebrate one of the numerous early 
wedding anniversaries, especially if a group 
of young married women friends want to 
join in a surprise. 

. The bride may be invited to a chum's house 
and presently the procession may appear 
before her. 

The bride should have a cheesecloth or 
mosquito netting veil with dried orange peel 
to hold the folds in place, and she should 
cany a bouquet of white chicken feathers tied 
with white tape — the shower part can be 
little bows of rags. 

The bridesmaids might all wear the cheap- 
est of farmers' hats, with huge bunches of 
goldenrod or asters on them or else such 
things as little kitchen utensils sewed on the 
front in place of flowers. Bouquets of bur- 
dock tied with colored cretonne would be 
• [96] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

attractive for them, or possibly as a substi- 
tute for the conventional shepherds' crooks 
they could carry umbrellas with big bows on 
the handles. A third suggestion for the 
bridesmaids is that they carry grape baskets 
filled with none too choice outdoor flowers and 
weeds. 

There should be a flower girl, of course, 
who can wear an abbreviated costume. Her 
hair should be in ringlets with a big ribbon 
tied around her head, and she may carry a 
market basket filled with scraps of paper, or 
flowers if you prefer, to scatter in front of 
the bride. 

The ring bearer may carry a curtain ring 
on a sofa cushion. 

At the ceremony, of course, you must omit 
all the really solemn parts, but you may let 
someone make up some questions for the 
minister to use. For instance, he may say 
to the mock bridegroom, ''Do you promise 
to obey this woman?" Instead of saying, ''I 
will" and "I do," they may say, '*I wilt" and 
" I doth." 

[97] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

For a wedding breakfast, you might serve 
creamed codfish in heavy crockery, and fol- 
low it with helpings of cream of wheat either 
cold or hot, which can be served to resemble 
ice cream in little paper cases. There should 
be a wedding cake which may be only ginger- 
bread, and some kind of grotesque motto 
may be inscribed in the frosting. 



[98] 



A SILVER WEDDING SHOWER 

\ LITTLE group, girlhood friends of more 
-^■^ than twenty-five years' standing, re- 
cently planned a pleasant shower for a popular 
friend, the president, as it happened, of their 
fortnightly sewing club, on her silver wedding 
anniversary. 

None of the ladies was rich and the gifts 
were planned to cost not over fifty cents each. 
Many of them were less than that. 

Silver fittings for a work basket were 
chosen and included a silver needle case, a 
silver thimble case, a silver hem gauge, a 
unique tatting shuttle, a little silver ripping 
knife, a cunning strawberry emery with a 
silver hull and a wee wax cherry with a silver 
stem. 

The gifts were wrapped in white tissue 
paper, tied with silver cord with a tiny shining 
bell inserted in the center of each knot. They 
were presented in a lovely sweet grass sewing 

[99] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

basket, which in turn was wrapped and tied 
with silver ribbon. 

This was not given, however, till the close 
of the afternoon's sewing, which had gone on 
as usual, though there was an atmosphere of 
ill-concealed expectation. 

Simple refreshments were brought in and 
served m buffet style. Home-made ice-cream 
was passed in little ice cups which had as 
decorations around the rim a circlet of glit- 
tering silvery tinsel. "Silver Cake" and 
bonbons in silver wrappings accompanied the 
ice cream. 

Last of all, the '*^ shower" was borne in on 
a silver tray and set before the surprised 
guest of honor. A little rhyme explained 
this turn of events to the delightfully mys- 
tified recipient: 

Because of many a happy hour 

With you, well spent, we give this shower ^ 

Just to remember in a way 

With love, your silver wedding day, 

[lOO] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

As an amusing little contest each lady was 
asked to write down ten things she had learned 
in the last twenty-five years. ' The replies 
made good reading and furnished plenty of 
conversation till home-going time. 



[lOl] 



A CAPE COD LUNCHEON 

TN remembrance of a happy two weeks 
■*- spent in a little bungalow on Cape Cod, 
one of the girls of the "bunch" gave a quaint 
luncheon for the others during the year fol- 
lowing. 

The invitations bore a tiny spray of bay- 
berry sketched in one corner and read like 
this : 

May the hayherry dip and the odor of pine 
At this little reunion luncheon of miney 
Bring back all our fun in the house by the sea^ 
Where we were as jolly as jolly could be. 

On the luncheon table homespun runners 
were used, crossed in the center where a brown 
wicker basket filled with the gray green of 
bayberry branches, brightened by the orange 
of bittersweet, stood on a mat of fragrant 
pine. 

[ I02 ] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

Green bayberry dips in the simplest of low 
tin candlesticks lighted the table and at each 
cover the place-card was a little outline map 
of Cape Cod with the situation of the summer 
camp conspicuously marked. 

The menu consisted of clam cocktails, cod- 
fish cakes and tiny pots of baked beans, hot 
steamed brown bread cut in small round 
slices, blueberry tarts, and coffee. 

The favors were wee bayberry *' waxes" for 
the sewing basket, each with a bit of a bay- 
berry twig peeping from its top. 



[103 ] 



ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SHOWERS 



ANNOUNCEMENTS AND SHOWERS 

TTOW shall I announce my engagement?" 
-*--*- The engaged girl we have always 
with us, and the next step after the en- 
gagement is the announcement of it. Most 
girls like to have some kind of little social 
function to break the news to their special 
circle of friends. Usually a mother or a sister 
or a chum does the entertaining, though a 
girl herself may perfectly well plan and carry 
out such a party. 

There are several sorts of affairs which may 
serve as a setting for an announcement. A 
favorite kind is a luncheon for a group of 
girl friends. Even less work is an afternoon 
tea and to that a girl's men friends may be 
asked also, though it's really easier to have 
girls only. Another kind of announcement 

party is the evening affair to which both men 

C 107] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

and girl friends are invited and at which the 
announcement should be *' sprung" as a 
total surprise as in all other announcement 
affairs. 

After the engagement is known, immedi- 
ately the friends of the bride-to-be begin to 
think of showers for her. One friend or a 
group of friends or her club may be hostesses 
and give such an affair. 

There are different ways of planning them. 
For instance, they may be appropriate to 
the month, like a Christmas Tree Shower in 
December or an Indian Summer Shower in 
November or a Rainy Day Shower in April. 
Or they may take as keynotes the engaged 
girl's special likes, as in the case of an apple 
shower, a kitty shower or an old rose shower. 
And then again, they may be just plain, 
ordinary, handkerchief showers, or linen 
showers, or kitchen showers, with an original 
touch somewhere. 



[ io8 ] 



"A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME" 
LUNCHEON 

4 T a recent engagement luncheon the an- 
-^^ nouncement was made in a unique 
way. 

A large wooden embroidery hoop was hung 
from the ceiHng over the table and in the ring 
perched a gaily painted wooden parrot, the 
kind that rocks back and forth when touched. 
I From the parrot streamers of colored baby 
ribbon led to the different places, and tied 
to the ends of the ribbons were tiny notes in 
envelopes. These on being opened showed 
the names of the engaged couple and a short 
rhyme reading thus : 

A little bird told me 

A very nice things 
That Randolph gave Sally 

A diamond ring. 

[ 109] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

The refreshments followed somewhat the 
parrot color scheme, with halves of grape- 
fruit garnished with cherries, chicken a la 
King, pimento, walnut and cream cheese salad, 
orange ice, and little cakes with colored 
frosting. 

Small celluloid parrots perched on the rims 
of the glasses were appropriate souvenirs. 



[no] 



A HAPPINESS TEA 

Sing a song of sixpence, 

A pocket full rye, 
Four and twenty bluebirds 

Baked in a pie; 

When the pie was opened 

The birds began to sing. 
About a certain couple here 

Who have some news to spring. 

nPHUS did one girl announce her engage- 

-■- ment in the month of May. She had 

asked twenty-four of her best friends to come 

to a bluebird tea one Saturday afternoon, and 

nobody suspected her secret, although they 

did remember that the bluebird stands for 

happiness. 

The party was held out on the hostess's 

big porch, which was decorated with jars of 

pink and white apple blossoms. Everybody 

[III] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

had a very good time dancing to the music 
of the phonograph until it was time for the 
tea to be served. The waitresses were Betty's 
two Httle sisters, 'who wore as insignia big 
blue bows on their hair and cunning little 
aprons made of bluebird cretonne. 

The tea was iced and served with lemon 
and mint in tall glasses. The sandwiches 
were tiny and round and filled with pink 
strawberry jam which made them seem like 
delectable apple-blossom petals. Betty hap- 
pened to have bluebird plates and she used 
paper napkins with a bluebird motif. 

After the sandwiches came little pink and 
green and white frosted cakes and last of all 
the surprise. It appeared to be a great pie 
with bluebird heads peeking through the 
crust. In reality the crust was just brown 
paper touched up with a bit of water color 
paint and pasted across the top of a big open 
pan. The bluebirds soon showed what they 
were when the guests in turn pulled them 
out of the pie by means of the narrow white 
ribbon attached to each one. They were 

[112] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

really flat pasteboard bluebirds and served 
as the excuse for the rhyme announcing 
Betty's engagement. 

As a souvenir each guest had a tiny blue- 
bird May basket filled with pink and white 
Jordan almonds. Small square boxes formed 
the foundations of the May baskets, the 
sides were then covered with bluebird crepe 
paper and the corners tied with wee blue 
bows. Little cut-out bluebirds hung from 
the slender handles and bore the names of 
the individual guests. 

When they said good-by, the guests all 
declared that they had had a bluebirdy time, 
which in other words meant that Betty had 
planned very happily. 



C113] 



A HELLO PARTY 

nPHE invitations to this party read as 
-*- follows : 

Hello! hello! hello! 

A party^s on the wire; 
And you must surely go 
Or else arouse my ire! 
Friday evening 
Eight 0^ clock 

The affair was planned by one girl to an- 
nounce the engagement of a chum, and of 
course the object of the party was not re- 
vealed in the invitations. 

All kinds of jolly games were played to 
pass the evening, and one pleasant feature 
was '^A Telephonic Conversation '^ by Mark 
Twain rendered by a good reader. 

The telephone was the keynote of the eve- 
ning and played a prominent part in the table 
C114] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

decorations. A big blue paper bell such as 
one sees in front of telephone booths hung 
over the center of the table. Beneath it was 
a low bowl of forget-me-nots of which the 
guests did not see the significance till later. 

The candles were white with blue bell- 
shaped shades, and at each person's plate as a 
favor stood one of the tiny glass telephones 
seen in candy stores, full of candies. 

The place-cards each bore a mock telephone 
number, such as Sing 1236, Circle 6320, Joke 
5156, Shiver 9315, Groan 231. 

The menu was mostly white and served on 
blue dishes. It consisted of chicken patties, 
hot rolls, cream cheese and white grape salad, 
and vanilla ice-cream in blue frilled paper 
cases. 

Toward the end of the ice-cream course 
the hostess asked the guests to announce their 
telephone numbers, in turn. Whereupon, each 
person was requested to rise from the table 
and act out his number. This was compar- 
atively simple and made everyone quite 
hilarious. 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

When it came the turn of the hostess, she 
said that her number was Springit 42. The 
two (2), she said, were Ehzabeth and John, 
and this was the time she had chosen to spring 
the announcement of their engagement. 
-^ Another way in which the announcement 
could be made is to prepare telephone messages 
of the news and tie them to the ends of blue 
ribbons hanging from the tongue of the bell. 
The hostess may announce that the **bell 
tolled'' when the guests are allowed to open 
and read their messages. 



[116] 



AN APPLE SHOWER 

\ GIRL who was very fond of apples in 
-^-^ every form, so much so that all her 
friends knew about it, was given a clever 
shower after she became engaged. 

The invitations were cut in apple shape 
and tinted a little with red and green water 
colors. The following verses voiced the plan 
of the party and notified the guests : 

Invitation to a Shower 

Apples, apples everywhere 

Will doubtless make up half the fare 

On Elsie's future menu pad. 

As they are Elsie's greatest fad. 

So if youd keep that fact in mind 

In shower presents — 'twould be kind; 

Send it to me the day before 

And come on Saturday at four, 

January the twentieth 
At Mary's house, 

C117] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

The first amusement of the afternoon was 
an apple-guessing contest, the names of 
different varieties of apples to be guessed from 
literal definitions, thus : The Royal Apple — 
King. After that there was an apple-peeling 
contest in Hallowe'en fashion and each girl 
threw the peeling over her left shoulder to 
discover the initial of her future husband. 

Immediately following this, the hostess, 
with the help of one of the other girls, brought 
in a big bushel basket apparently filled with 
huge rosy apples, and set it down before the 
guest of honor. 

When the green ribbon around the stem 
of each make-believe apple was untied, the 
red crepe paper opened out, disclosing, in 
wrappings of soft cotton, a variety of gifts 
for the apple-loving girl. 

There was an up-to-date corer and a plate 
for baking apples, a fat plush apple pin- 
cushion for the kitchen, a red apple "bank" 
with a slit for savings, one of the beautiful 
Wallace Nutting photographs of a New Eng- 
land apple tree in full pink and white bloom, 
[118] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

an artistic brown basket for apples to be kept 
on the buffet or used for the breakfast table, 
and a delightful fruit bowl with an apple 
border. 

One girl had contributed a little booklet of 
choice apple recipes, a jar of apple butter 
and another of home-made apple sauce. One 
artistic member of the group had stenciled a 
crash table runner for the porch table with 
a conventional apple design in yellow and 
orange and green, and another girl put the 
same design very decoratively on a round 
box of painted tin. 

Two of the prettiest gifts were a cunning 
sports handkerchief with a cluster of apples 
stamped in one corner, and a smart flat silk 
hat ornament in the shape of three apples. 

Before the happy bride-to-be had finished 
exclaiming over her gifts, the hostess served 
buffet refreshments that were as pretty as 
they were delicious. There were little in- 
dividual molds of pink apple tapioca, topped 
with whipped cream and accompanied by 
small home-made cakes, frosted uniquely. 

C119] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

Each one had in the center of its white icing 
a miniature apple bough as a decoration, made 
from two red maraschino cherries, two leaf- 
shaped pieces of green angelica and a bit of 
citron. 

; As a surprise for each girl, the hostess had 
provided a tiny bunch of apple sachets, easily 
made from scraps of apple-colored silks. 

"I like apples more than ever now that 
I've begun to see their possibilities," the guest 
of honor declared. 



[120] 



AN OLD ROSE SHOWER 

Tj^OR a girl who was very fond of everything 
-*- rose-colored, her friends planned an 
"old-rose'' shower on Valentine's Day. 

As a result, among the gifts were rose- 
colored silk stockings, a rose-flowered silk 
party bag, an old-rose boudoir cap, slippers to 
match, and towels with old-rose initials. 
Each gift was wrapped in white tissue paper 
and tied with old-rose ribbon, and they were 
all presented on a big tray, the bottom of 
which was rose-flowered cretonne under glass. 

The refreshments were raspberry ice and 
tiny cakes frosted in rose and white, and each 
guest carried away as a favor a wee glove 
handkerchief with an old-rose border. 

[I2l] 



A KITTY SHOWER 

TT sounds odd, but the engaged girl for 
-*- whom it was given was so very fond of 
pussy cats that her chum knew that a kitty 
shower would just exactly suit her. 

The invitations, written on cats cut from 
heavy paper, read this way: 

Since Elizabeth Ann is so fond of the kitty 
DonH you agree that ^twould be a great pity 
If we missed a good chance now for making a 
hit 
By each bringing her some kind of a kit? 

The bride-to-be suspected nothing when she 
was asked to a kitty luncheon at her chum's 
house. 

The table had as decorations a centerpiece 
of pussy willows and yellow tulips, and the 
candle shades were made of yellow parchment 
paper with black silhouettes of cats running 
around them. 

[122] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

At each girl's place was a tiny china cat 
with a yellow ribbon bow on its neck to which 
was tied the place-card. 

There was no attempt to carry out the 
kitty idea in the menu, but it was yellow 
throughout. The first course was grape- 
fruit, then followed scalloped oysters garnished 
with lemon slices, chicken and mayonnaise 
salad, individual baked custards, and sun- 
shine cake. 

Upon withdrawing from the table, it was 
announced that " Pussy was in the well," and 
forthwith a deep cylindrical waste-basket 
trimmed with pussy willows was brought in 
and set before the guest of honor, who was 
requested to be the one to ''pull pussy out." 

With a dawning understanding of the mean- 
ing of this, the bride-to-be reached in and 
drew one by one from the waste-basket the 
"kits" which had been placed there for her. 
Each one was tied with yellow ribbon and had 
a black cat pasted on it. 

The gifts were all very clever. There was 

a traveler's sewing kit, a small blacking kit, 

[123 ] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

a wee laundry kit for motoring, a handy kit 
containing baggage tags, rubber bands, and 
the like, an emergency kit with safety pins and 
threaded needle for her handbag, a guest 
towel with a cross-stitch kitty on one end, a 
cream pitcher and sugar bowl with a kitten 
border, a quaint kitten door stop, a painted 
wooden kitten twine holder, a pair of Angora 
skating gloves, an odd little sewing apron with 
linen cats appliqued on the corners, and a 
knitting bag of cretonne which pictured Puss- 
in-Boots prominently among other Mother 
Goose People. 

When the excitement of the shower was 
over, a guessing contest was played, each 
answer being a word in which the syllable 
"cat" figured. This very jolly afternoon 
ended with a really hilarious game of Puss- 
in-the-corner. 



[124] 



A CAMP FIRE SHOWER 

4 JOLLY crowd of young people who had 
-^^ been camping together a great deal gave 
a lively shower to two of their number who 
were announcing their engagement. 

The affair took place in the city in the 
winter time and was very informal. 

After the *' bunch"' had gathered, someone 
suggested that they play charades, one of their 
favorite diversions. 

The engaged persons were chosen to sit 
with the hostess before the open fire and pre- 
tend they were in camp. The word selected 
was not made known to them, however. 

The others all retired into the next room 
and came back shortly, wrapped in raincoats 
and sou'westers, each one carrying a knobby 
package. 

** Shower!" they shouted in chorus, throwing 
their bundles at the group by the fire. 

[125] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

The parcels contained all kinds of camp 
conveniences. There was a camp kit con- 
taining knives and forks and spoons, a col- 
lapsible drinking cup, a thermos bottle, a 
pocket compass, an electric flashlight, a fold- 
ing mirror, a pocket corkscrew, a folding camp 
grate, a folding camp stool, a folding alcohol 
stove with a pot, and a pocket camera. 

The engaged couple were taken entirely by 
surprise, for they had supposed the party to 
be only one of many sociable evenings which 
the crowd were in the habit of having. 

The refreshments were reminiscent of camp 
and were served on wooden plates around the 
fire in picnic fashion. The menu consisted 
of hot bacon and roll sandwiches, dill pickles, 
coffee, and marshmallows toasted over the 
flames. 



[126] 



A "ONE I LOVE" SHOWER 

nPHE invitations were made of white 
-*- water color paper cut in the shape of 
daisies, with centers tinted yellow. Scattered 
over the petals were the following lines: 

^^One I love, two I love, 

Three I love I say^^ 
Come and see if this is true 

On St. Falentine's Day." 
(or *' Friday next, I pray") 

On all the invitations but the guest of 
honor's was added: "'In honor of Marion's 
engagement. Please send your remembrance 
to me the day before." 

This direction was put on so that the gifts 

could all be wrapped in advance by the hostess 

in white tissue paper, tied with yellow baby 

ribbon and a big artificial daisy tucked into 

the knot. Piled on a tray they were brought 

[127] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

to the surprised little bride-to-be on the after- 
noon of the party. The entertainment ful- 
filled the promise of the invitation in this way: 
A large paper daisy with many petals was 
hung against the wall and each guest was 
given a pointer and asked to select a petal 
at random. On the back of each petal was 
written a little fortune rhyme somewhat on 
the order of this one : 

^^ Five! he loves — good pumpkin pie. 
So learn to cook it — thus say /." 

The refreshments were served in buffet 
style in the dining room. In the center of 
the table was a blossoming pot of marguerites. 
There were individual daisy salads, formed 
by little mounds of chicken salad covered 
with yellow mayonnaise and surrounded by 
a fringe of petals cut from the whites of hard- 
boiled eggs. With the salad simple bread 
and butter sandwiches were eaten. 
; As a second course, frozen custard in paper 
cups with borders of white paper petals was 
served with squares of angel cake, frosted in 
[128] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

yellow, and squares of sunshine cake, frosted 
in white. 

The principal feature, however, and the final 
one, was the favor pie. A big imitation, daisy 
was made from a round basket, by covering 
the top with yellow paper and surrounding the 
edge with as many petals as there were guests. 
Each guest was asked to pull a petal from the 
daisy, and in so doing drew from the basket a 
tiny doll dressed like a "rich man, poor man, 
beggar man, thief, doctor, lawyer, merchant or 
chief." The girl whose fate was already as- 
sured had been guided to choose a particular 
petal and her favor doll proved to be dressed 
in the garb of her fiance's profession. 



FORTUNE RHYMES FOR A "oNE I LOVE*' 

SHOWER 



1. If you'll only wait a while 

Some one nice will make you smile. 

2. You will have to choose between 

Walking or a limousine. 

[ 129 ] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

3. If you only only knew 

Who was thinking much of you. 

4. At a motion picture show 

From the screen your fate you'll know. 

5. Something nice you'll sure know 
In about a week or so. 

6. Don't despise 
Hazel eyes. 

7. Far across the briny sea 
Comes thy lover now to thee. 

8. Your career you'll surely ship 
And substitute a wedding trip. 

9. A dance, a ride, a moonlit lawn, 
Your heart will be completely gone. 

10. One — two — three — 
The third it will be. 

11. Beware, beware the eyes of blue 

Or they'll surely capture you. 
[130] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

12. Your intellect will meet its equal, 
Happy though will be the sequel. 

13. A word, a smile, a bow, 
Married in a year from now. 

14. Try a smile 
For a while 
To beguile. 

15. You will travel far away 
Sixteen years from yesterday. 



C131] 



AN INDIAN SUMMER SHOWER 

TT^OR the girl who is to be married in the 
-*- winter, an Indian Summer Shower might 
be given some November evening. The cards 
of invitation can have a little brown Indian 
wigwam painted in one corner, or cut out of 
brown paper and pasted on; or the invita- 
tions can be written on pieces of white birch 
bark, if you happened to have gathered and 
saved any from the summer vacation. Paper 
imitation of birch bark might also be used. 

Put all the gifts, wrapped in brown tissue 
paper and tied with gay ribbons, in a toy 
wigwam which you can make with three sticks 
and a piece of brown burlap. When the 
right time comes, the engaged girl is led up 
to the wigwam and asked to receive the gifts. 
If there is a small brother or cousin who can 
be dressed up in an Indian suit to hand out 
the presents, so much the better. 
[132] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

The hostess may make this any kind of 
shower she wishes. 

After the wigwam has been sacked, it would 
be fun if you could sit around the open fire to 
pop corn or toast marshmallows and play the 
Indian Summer game of "Pipe Dreams." 
Each girl writes out an imaginary dream of 
the bride's future. The dreams arc read by 
the hostess, and then each dream paper is 
consigned to the fire. 

The refreshments ought to be very simple, 
and may consist of hot chocolate and little 
chocolate cakes, cone-shaped to simulate wig- 
wams, or they may be merely apples, nuts, 
pop-corn, and sweet cider. Serve the nuts 
and apples in Indian baskets. 



[133] 



A CHRISTMAS TREE SHOWER 

TT^OR the bride who announces her engage- 
-*- ment in December, a Christmas tree 
shower might be given Christmas week. 
Send out cards of invitation in the shape of 
small Christmas trees, or else paste or paint 
little evergreen trees on white cards. Ask 
the guests to bring something small enough 
to be hung on a little Christmas tree. The 
bride should be asked to come a little later 
than the others, so that they may have time 
to hang their gifts on the tree. 

The tree may be as elaborate as you wish 
to make it. Where trees are hard to procure, 
a cunning little one on a table is quite large 
enough. It can be decked with gold and silver 
hearts and candy kisses, and on its branches 
should hang the shower gifts, prettily wrapped 
and tied. 

When the bride arrives, she must strip 
the tree. Among its treasures may be Eng- 
C134] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

lish walnut shells, gilded and tied together, 
with fortune verses inside. The hostess pro- 
vides one of these for each guest. 

The refreshments may consist of sand- 
wiches cut in the shape of Christmas trees 
and filled with green pepper and cream cheese; 
caraway cookies cut in the shape of Christ- 
mas trees; and hot chocolate, with a sprig of 
evergreen tied by a tiny bow of red to each 
cup-handle. 

This affair could be planned specifically as 
a handkerchief, hosiery or kitchen shower. 



[135] 



WEDDINGS 



WEDDINGS 

TT^OLLOWING naturally on the engage- 
-*■ ment announcement and bridal showers 
come the wedding plans. 

If the bride's house is small, a church 
wedding may be the solution for her, or else 
she may plan a house wedding with just a 
few chosen friends and relatives present. 

Very often, if a church wedding is planned, 
there is a reception afterward at the bride's 
home. If only a few guests are invited to 
it, a wedding breakfast or dinner may be 
served, but if a large number of people are 
asked, buffet refreshments are sufficient. 

According to the different seasons of the 
year, the weddings may take on varying 
characters. Spring, summer, fall and winter 
weddings, indoor and outdoor weddings, all 
have their own special charms. 

C 139] 



SUMMER WEDDING DECORATIONS 

TTp VERY girl can have a pretty wedding — 
-^— * especially if she lives within reach of 
the free woods and fields or in a place of 
gardens and shrubbery. 

Wild roses and wild clematis vines with 
ferns from the woods are lovely in a country 
church where festoons and garlands are often 
needed to adorn the bare walls. 

Banks of black-eyed Susans with outdoor 

ferns, bowers of snowy dogwood in season 

and the fluffy wild pink azalea are very 

decorative, and so are the spring and early 

summer shrubs: syringa, deutzia, flowering 

almond and Japanese snowball. 

' Mountain laurel, with its exquisite pink 

flowers and glossy green leaves, lends itself 

particularly to church decoration. Ropes of 

the leaves may be looped from the roof to 

the side walls; and the blossoms massed in 

the front of the church make a fitting back- 
[ 140 ] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

ground for a bride and her pink-clad attend- 
ants. 

In the South, Cape jasmine, in the Far 
West, the golden California poppies and car- 
nations, are beautiful to use. Of course, 
nothing is lovelier than roses — pink and 
white — and should they prove scarce they 
can be successfully supplemented with pink 
and white peonies, especially for church 
decoration purposes. 

Meadow rue in great misty clumps as it 
grows, arranged with tawny field lilies and 
dark green wood ferns, is remarkably striking 
in a church. 

At one home wedding, big loose bunches of 
feathery grass, buttercups, daisies, and clover 
in brown earthern jars filled the corners of 
the living-room, and in the bay window, 
where the ceremony took place, tall graceful 
sprays of Queen Anne's lace arranged with 
plenty of green, made an artistic background. 
Glass vases filled with it stood on the window 
sills and on the floor, the tops of the floor 
bouquets hiding the window receptacles. 

C141] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

In the dining-room a bowl of pink and 
white clover occupied the center of the table 
and there were window boxes of the same 
sweet flower 



[142] 



THE TABLE DECORATIONS 

T^^HATEVER color scheme is used in the 
^ ^ other parts of the house, an entirely- 
different one may be carried out in the dining- 
room. Some suggestions for simple table 
decorations in various colors follow: 

1. Large low bowl of blue and pink forget- 
me-nots in the center of the table, with candle 
shades of white, painted with forget-me-not 
sprays. 

2. Garden basket or glass basket of yellow 
roses and honeysuckle with graceful sprays 
of honeysuckle vines trailing to the corners 
of the table, yellow candle shades. 

3. Old-fashioned bouquet of garden flowers 
in old-fashioned vase — snapdragons, lark- 
spur, coreopsis, babies' breath, mignonette — 
old-fashioned stiff little artificial bouquets in 
white lace paper for favors. 

4. Hanging basket of pink and lavender 
sweet peas and smilax over the table, with 

C143] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

smilax reaching to the corners of the table 
and caught with pink and lavender tulle 
bows. 

5. Wood maidenhair ferns and pink garden 
roses, tiny ferns scattered over the tablecloth, 
and rose-colored candle shades. < 

6. Wild clematis vines from ceiling over 
table to four corners, and low bowl of wild 
roses in center beneath sprays. 

':. 7. Bachelors' buttons and mignonette in 
the center of the table connected with small 
baskets of mignonette at the corners of the 
table by ribbon matching the blue bachelors' 
buttons, tied on the handle of each basket. 

8. Scarlet poppies in silver vase, silver 
candlesticks and shades. 

9. Large bowl of "Jack" roses in the center 
on a table mirror, with a single large Jack 
rose in a slim flower holder at each corner of 
the table. 

10. Wicker basket of June garden pinks 
(white and pink) with shower of tiny bells 
hung on pink ribbons above them from the 
chandelier or ceiling. 

[144] 



MENUS FOR THE BUFFET LUNCHEON 

11 TANY dining-rooms are too small to 
-^^-^ have a wedding breakfast served at 
the table, and for that reason buffet luncheons 
are most popular. 

The dining table is decorated with flowers 
and often lighted with candles under colored 
shades, and on it are placed extra supplies of 
silver and small dishes of olives, nuts and 
bonbons. 

As the guests leave the receiving line, they 
move informally toward the dining-room, 
where they stand to be served. If the wed- 
ding reception takes place directly after a 
ceremony in the morning, or at high noon, 
the refreshments are more elaborate than 
at an afternoon affair and the guests may 
be seated to be served in the different rooms. 

When a caterer is not employed, and the 
serving of the refreshments is managed by 
the hostess herself, it is a pretty and practical 

[145 3 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

plan to ask several young girls to help in the 
dining-room. They should see that the 
guests are promptly supplied, and can relieve 
them of their plates when they have finished. 
Below are half a dozen good menus for 
buffet wedding breakfasts and receptions, 
varying in degree of formality to suit indi- 
vidual needs. 



BOUILLON SALTED CRACKERS 

CHICKEN PATTIES OLIVES 

PINEAPPLE SALAD 

SMALL LETTUCE SANDWICHES 

NEAPOLITAN ICE CREAM WITH FRESH 

STRAWBERRIES 

COFFEE CAKE 

II 

CREAMED SWEETBREADS CHERRY SALAD 

WATERCRESS SANDWICHES 

RASPBERRY ICE MACAROONS 

III 

CHICKEN SALAD FINGER ROLLS 

FROZEN CUSTARD SUNSHINE CAKE 

[146] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

IV 

SCALLOPED CRAB MEAT 

BREAD AND BUTTER SANDWICHES 

STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM ANGEL CAKE 



ICED CLAM BROTH WITH WHIPPED CREAM 

SALTED CRACKERS 
COLD VEAL LOAF SARATOGA CHIPS 

OLIVES 
PINEAPPLE ICE SMALL CAKES 

VI 

ICED CONSOMME SALTED CRACKERS 

CHICKEN CROQUETTES ROLLS 

FRUIT SALAD UNSWEETENED CRACKERS 

LEMON CREAM SHERBET 

SMALL HOME-MADE COOKIES 



[147] 



THE FAVORS 

TjpOR wedding favors at a wedding break- 
-*- fast or reception a number of interest- 
ing little souvenirs can be inexpensively pre- 
pared. For instance, there are wee fans 
(bought at the doll department) with the date 
lettered on each ; tiny straw baskets that look 
like the one the flower girl carries and are 
filled with very small artificial forget-me-nots 
and rose-buds; airy butterflies of white and 
pale yellow silk, to be fastened to fine threads 
above the table in the dining-room, where 
they flutter realistically over the flowers 
beneath. 

More frivolous are very diminutive brides- 
maid's hats, and at the wedding of a bride 
who is going to travel far away there may 
be small boats, either real or of cardboard, 
with a flying flag of matrimony at the mast- 
head. 
[148] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

The old-fashioned posy gift cards with 
clasped hands are quaint; so are the little 
nosegays in white paper frills, and every 
guest will like a box of bride's cake. 



[149] 



TWO SUMMER WEDDINGS 

A WILD ROSE WEDDING 

\ WILD-ROSE wedding which one bride 
-^ ^ planned was wonderfully attractive. In 
one corner of the living-room an arch of woven 
wire was erected, and covered with graceful 
wild clematis vines and wild roses. On each 
window-sill stood a jar of wild roses, and 
the mantel was banked with them. 

The two bridesmaids wore pale green 
dresses, and carried baskets overflowing with 
wild roses ; the maid of honor wore a gown 
of wild-rose pink, and carried an arm bou- 
quet of wood maidenhair ferns and wild 
clematis. 

The dining-table was decorated effectively. 

A crystal bowl filled with wild-rose sprays 

which trailed over the sides and along the 

table was placed in the center on a mat of 

[ISO] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

hardy sword ferns. From above the middle 
of the table four garlands of wild clematis 
were looped down to the edge of the round 
table and held with bows of green tulle. 

Glass dishes of olives and pink, green, and 
white candies on the table still further carried 
out the color scheme. 

The menu, which was served in buffet style, 
was pink and white. It consisted of straw- 
berry and pineapple cocktail, with a sprig of 
green mint in each glass, sliced ham and 
pressed chicken, potato chips, hot rolls, rasp- 
berry ice, white-frosted cakes cut in the shape 
of bells, pink-frosted cakes in the shape of 
hearts. 

Fruit punch, pink with strawberry juice 
and green with mint, was served on the rose- 
bowered porch by a pretty girl in a rose- 
flowered frock. 



[iSi] 



A FIELD FLOWER WEDDING 

\ NOTHER country bride used the field 
-^^^ flowers for decorating. 

Big jars of daisies, buttercups, wild carrot, 
red clover, and tasseled grasses stood in the 
corners of all the rooms and filled the empty 
fireplace. 

Four little girls, dressed in white with yellow 
sashes and hair fillets, carried a daisy chain to 
form an aisle for the bride and her attendants, 
and the ceremony took place under a big 
bell of field daisies. 

The bridesmaids wore pale yellow georgette 
gowns, and carried bouquets of black-eyed 
Susans, the maid of honor wore old-gold 
georgette, lightened with white, and carried 
a loose bunch of daisies and buttercups. 

In the center of the dining table a high- 
handled white-enameled basket held a natural 
arrangement of sweet white clovers, grasses, 
and yellow buttercups, and was linked by 

[152] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

several streamers of yellow baby ribbon, with 
four smaller white baskets at the corners 
which held smaller bouquets of the same 
flowers. A fluffy yellow bow was tied to the 
handle of each basket. 

The menu was also yellow and white and 
consisted of hot bouillon, sprinkled with 
grated hard-boiled egg yolks; chicken jelly 
salad with mayonnaise ; tiny bread and butter 
sandwiches; frozen custard in ice cups 
trimmed with white paper petals, so that each 
individual serving looked like a daisy; small 
squares of sponge cake, and angel food iced in 
yellow; yellow and white candies. 

The boxes of wedding cake were piled on 
the hall table, and each one had a wee daisy 
blossom tied into the knot of white ribbon 
on top. 



[153] 



OUTDOOR WEDDINGS 

AN ORCHARD PAGEANT 

T^HERE'S no wedding quite so pictur- 
-■- esque as the outdoor one. Famous 
is the orchard wedding beneath a blossoming 
apple tree, where the air is filled with fra- 
grance and the bridal party comes winding 
through the trees to the trysting place. It 
needn't be only a poetic fancy, either — it's 
entirely practical, and if you have a compara- 
tively small house, why not give your guests 
the beautiful freedom of outdoors instead of 
cooping them up in the house .f* 

Mark out the path beforehand by mow- 
ing the grass in the chosen direction. Select 
plenty of ushers to conduct the guests to the 
spot and provide benches and settees for the 
older folk, who may find it tiring to stand till 
the wedding party arrives. 
[154] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

There need be no decorations except the 
natural ones of the orchard; preparations may 
consist of raking out dead leaves and branches. 

A victrola may be arranged in the proper 
place to furnish the wedding processional — 
or perhaps some musical friend may be found 
to play the violin. 

The simpler the pageant, the more effective 
it will be. First may come a tiny flower 
girl in a white frock, swinging a cretonne 
flowered sunbonnet from which she tosses 
apple blossom sprays. 

If there are bridesmaids, they should wear 
the simplest of pink dresses with pink fillets 
on their hair or else wide straw hats trimmed 
only with a tiny wreath of flowers. 

Possibly the maid of honor may add a note 
of contrast by wearing forget-me-not blue. 

Last of all appear the bride and bridegroom, 
together, for in an old-fashioned orchard 
wedding that is less awkward than for the 
bridegroom to come from some other direc- 
tion. The bride should wear a simple white 
gown — formal satin would be out of place. 

[155] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

The wedding breakfast may be served picnic 
fashion on a long table of boards decked with 
apple blossoms. Toasts in strawberry punch 
are in order while an orchestra of robins and 
bluebirds sing in the apple trees round about 
' — unless the noise drives them away. The 
little waiting maids should wear white aprons 
and white caps with an apple blossom sprig 
stuck in the top. 

Following them came a flock of flower chil- 
dren, tiny girls and boys scattering flower 
petals from the high-handled baskets swing- 
ing in their chubby little hands. 

Last of all, four abreast, came the bride and 
bridegroom, with the bride's mother, who 
gave her away, on the right of the bride, 
and the best man on the left of the bridegroom. 
The ribbon girls had accompanied the pro- 
cession at the proper intervals holding the 
aisle ribbon, and the last two brought 
up the rear, winding up the ribbon as they 
came. 

The reception took place immediately after- 
ward on the lawn, and the guests were served 
C156] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

with ice-cream and cake wherever they 
chanced to be by the attentive ribbon girls. 

In the back yard at a long table a colored 
caterer superintended the service. 

Altogether it was a most successful wedding 
and at the same time a fairly easy one to plan 
since there was no question of overcrowding 
in the house, although in case of rain it could 
have been managed there. 



A WEDDING ON THE LAWN 

\ GIRL who lived in a small town and 
■^^^ had a big lawn chose to be married out- 
doors in August. The blossoming hydrangea 
hedge in front of the house was made thicker 
with small evergreen branches stuck down 
into the ground. One corner of the yard 
where there was a natural alcove curving in 
among the shrubs, she picked out for the 
wedding itself. 

The porch was decorated with Japanese 
lanterns and flowers, and beforehand the guests 
gathered in groups there or on the lawn. 

[157] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

When it was time for the ceremony, some 
girl friends of the bride marshalled the guests 
to the chosen place and then returned to the 
house to act as ribbon girls. There were 
about a dozen of them in light summer dresses, 
and the first couple, holding the ends of long 
white ribbons, preceded the bridal groups, 
roping off an aisle across the lawn and among 
the spectators. 

A chorus of young musical friends came 
first, singing the words and music of Lohen- 
grin. 



[158] 



FALL WEDDINGS 

A BLUE AND GOLD WEDDING 

O EPTEMBER and October weddings are 
'^ always popular, partly perhaps because 
of the decorating possibilities of the autumn 
season. 

Goldenrod and wild asters one thinks of 
for early fall. At one evening home wedding 
where this blue and gold color scheme was 
used, the stalks of plumey golden rod seemed 
to be growing naturally along the stair rail; 
they were held in place at the uprights. 

The rooms were hung with blue and golden 
globes of lights — in reality paper lanterns 
— sheltering electric bulbs. The fireplace held 
masses of goldenrod, and blue jars holding 
wild asters crowned the mantel, the tables, 
the piano, and the wide window sills. 

The bridesmaids wore gowns of yellow 
organdy and the maid of honor an aster blue 
costume. 

C 159 ] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

In the dining-room a dull gilt basket of 
blue asters occupied the center of the table 
set for a buffet repast, and a bow of blue and 
golden tulle fluttered from the handle of the 
basket. 

The favors were tiny kewpie dolls, wearing 
frilly skirts and caps, some of blue and others 
of yellow. The blue were for the men, the 
yellow for the girls. 

OAK LEAVES AND COSMOS 

T^7HEN oak leaves begin to glow with 
* ^ tawny splendor, another girl cele- 
brated her wedding. The house was a bower 
of rich, deep red and brown foliage, and the 
"bridey" touch came in with the pale pink 
garden cosmos that was used. 

Cosmos made the background for the 
wedding group, and was arranged in feathery 
masses wherever it might contrast with the 
dark oak leaves. 

The wedding was in the late afternoon, and 

after the sunset light had faded the pink 

[i6o] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

candles began to glow rosily under soft 
pink shades. * 

The dining-room table was lovely with pink 
candle-light and pink cosmos as a centerpiece 
on a mat of oak leaves. There were pink 
and white candies and raspberry ice was 
served with the tiniest of pink and white and 
green petites fours. 



Ci6i] 



THREE WINTER WEDDINGS 

A CHRISTMAS WEDDING 

nPHE first girl lived in a country town 
-*- and evergreens in the woods near by 
were plentiful. The wedding was a Christ- 
mas one, and took place in the late afternoon. 
Garlands of graceful ground pine were wound 
over the banisters in the hall, and draped 
over the doorways to hang down halfway 
on each side against the ivory white wood- 
work. In the living-room, two little Christ- 
mas trees, lighted with tiny white candles, 
formed an alcove where the bridal group could 
stand. 

The table in the dining-room was decorated 
for a buffet luncheon in holiday red and green. 
There was a centerpiece of red roses, red silk 
candle shades shading white candles in clear 
glass candlesticks, and tiny green Christmas 

ferns scattered on the white cloth. 
[162] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

The menu had the same color harmony, and 
consisted of consomme, salted crackers, oyster 
patties, chicken jelly salad with green mayon- 
naise, salad rolls, olives, pistachio ice-cream 
in holly-decked cases, little cakes with green 
icing and silver bonbons stuck on top, and 
coffee, with green mints. 

A RAINBOW WEDDING 

THHE second bride lived in the city and had 
-*- a rainbow wedding. The usual green 
of potted ferns and palms formed the back- 
ground of decorations, but over the rounded 
archway which opened into a small alcove a 
"rainbow" of tulle — rose, pale pink, yellow, 
green, blue, and lavender — was arranged. 
Pink and yellow roses with green foliage were 
supplemented in the living-room by blue and 
lavender tulle on the vases. The six brides- 
maids wore gowns which matched the tulle 
rainbow and they carried pink roses. 

On the table in the dining-room was a 

bowl of pink roses, and from the table dome a 

[163] 



ENTERTAINING MADE EASY 

myriad of baby ribbon streamers in the same 
varied colors came down at six points, and 
were held in place by six fluffy favor dolls, 
dressed in tulle to match the six bridesmaids, 
to whom they were afterward given as souve- 
nirs. 

The menu consisted of chicken a la King, 
small sandwiches, olives, Neapolitan ice-cream, 
fancy frosted cakes, and coffee. 

A COLONIAL WEDDING 

nPHE third girl, with a delight for old- 
-*- fashioned ways, was followed by six 
maids in quaint Colonial gowns of plain or 
flowered silk, no two costumes alike, save 
for soft white lace fichus. Black velvet neck- 
bands, powdered curls, and "nosegays" of 
small pink carnations in lace paper holders 
quite carried out the lovely effect. 

The old-fashioned rooms were hung with 
smilax and asparagus fern, and in every win- 
dow stood a pot of flowering fuchsias. 

[ 164 ] 




npHERE is no royal road to learning. 

IT is an old saying, and a true one, in a sense: 
for prince and peasant must alike travel 
the path. 

"V/T^T, there are many paths, and great differ- 
J- ences among them, as they lead to the 
temple of knowledge. In some, the going is easy : 
in some, hard. In some, the journeying is 
pleasant and profitable: in some, toilsome — a 
weary scramble over many stumbling blocks. 

THE builder of the road is the teacher. It 
is his task to smooth the way, and to 
make it straight: or to leave it all cluttered, 
a twisted, haphazard course, that runs roughly 
and reaches nowhere. 

IN the "Made Easy" Series, it has been the 
publisher's purpose to provide for the 
student the best possible road to learning — a 
road truly royal in its simplicity, its worth: 
a road wide and direct, and free from foolish, 
needless litter. 



THE various writers of the books in the 
series have been chosen for their special 
fitness. Such fitness includes, in the first 
place, mastery of the particular subject: in 
the second place, ability to interpret knowl- 
edge to others* 

RIGHT teaching makes easy learning. Few 
subjects are really hard to learn, when 
properly set before the pupil. These volumes 
are the product of a painstaking care to simplify 
every detail of instruction, yet to make it com- 
plete. The result for the student is, indeed, 
a learning made easy, yet none the less exact, 
thorough, wholly adequate for his needs. 

The volumes now ready, or in the course of 
preparation — price $1.00 each^ — are: 

Arithmetic Made Easy Drawing Made Easy 
Spelling Made Easy Dressmaking Made Easy 

Penmanship Made Easy Dancing Made Easy 
Grammar Made Easy Etiquette Made Easy 

Keeping Young Made Easy 

Love Letters Made Easy 

Shorthand Made Easy 

Bookkeeping Made Easy 

Entertaining Made Easy 

Tricks and Magic Made Easy 

Mental Healing Made Easy 

Further titles wiU he added as opportunity presents itself to secure 
the proper type of manuscript. 



